Blind
by Broadway007
Summary: Maura loses her vision after an mistake made in the lab. This story will follow the effects her sudden blindness have on her and her relationship with Jane. Rated T just to be safe (possible swearing, small stuff) but might go to M for the later chapters if I include Rizzles sexy time.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a plot that has been running around my head for about a year now and I'm eager to hear your thoughts on the story! Some of the science talk in here is just whatever sounds appropriate mixed with some stuff I've found in Google so try to suspend your belief for the duration of the story in that sense!**

**This first chapter is really quite short mainly because I have no idea if this is a story that anyone would ever want to read so I didn't want to write too much in case it got shitty reviews. So please let me know if you'd like to see it continue!**

**It is T for now for language and stuff but might bump up to M for the final chapter(s) in case of sexy Rizzles fun.**

**Enjoy!**

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Maura Isles prided herself on her meticulous approach to everything she did. While some might call her obsessive or compulsive in her scientific methodology, Maura knew that her painstaking approach to life is what kept her safe and sane in an otherwise hectic world.

Yet despite her dedication to meticulousness, Maura was only human and was susceptible to the same stresses that resulted in the occasional slip-up: exhaustion, a wandering mind, a distracting co-worker, or a simple build-up of stress. Which is why, at only 4pm on a Wednesday afternoon, Maura was flipping the lights off in her office and leaving headquarters early. She knew she was not at the top of her game and, refusing to give less than her all, decided to head home early.

"Doctor Isles?" Susie asked, rounding a corner with an odd plant in her hand.

"Yes, Susie?" Maura smiled, exhaustion evident in her voice.

"I know you are heading home for the night and I hate to keep you, but I have a question about this plant you requested that I perform tests on. I tried to extract sap from the leaves but I just couldn't," Susie said sadly. "And I know that getting the sap is crucial for this because if the poison of this plant matches the reports from yesterday's victim, then Detective Rizzoli will have a lead to follow."

"Sap is best collected from the stem," Maura said as she placed her handbag onto a chair and reached for a pair of gloves. "I appreciate you running these tests for me," Maura added as Susie placed the plant down on an exam table.

"Just doing my job," Susie smiled as she watched Maura gently cut into the stem of the plant, a shiny sap suddenly catching the light. Maura continued to maneuver with the plant, her nimble fingers working to ensure the stem was cut neatly in half before stepping away from the plant.

"Is that all?" Maura asked, turning to Susie with a tired smile on her face. "You can prepare the samples and run the tests?"

"Of course," Susie said. "Thank you so much for your assistance, Doctor."

"My pleasure," Maura replied as she pulled the gloves off and threw them into the biohazard waste bin. "Be sure to thoroughly wipe down this exam table once you have removed the plant," Maura added. "I would hate to spread the toxin of the giant hogweed to our patients," she said with a soft chuckle.

"Will you be in tomorrow?" Susie asked, noticing how exhausted the medical examiner looked.

"Yes," Maura said as she moved her hands to her face to rub gently at her tired eyes. "I simply need a long bath and a night with the adequate amount of REM sleep. I will see you tomorrow morning," Maura finished as she picked up her bag and exited the morgue, eager to get to her home.

Once Maura arrived home, she pulled a bottle of wine from her cupboard along with a glass and walked immediately to her bathroom, plugging the tub and turning the hot water on to fill it. She sprinkled a handful of lavender salts into the rapidly filing tub, inhaling the scent as she pulled the cork from the wine and poured herself a glass.

Once the tub was filled, Maura placed the wine glass and bottle next to the tub and undressed, quickly sinking into the hot water. The water began to soothe her drained muscles as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the back of the tub.

The water had gone cold when Maura awoke to the sound of her doorbell ringing. She ran her hands over her face, attempting to wake herself up with the chilly water on her face.

"Maura?" she heard Jane call out from her kitchen. "Susie said you left at 4 today. I just wanted to make sure you were good," Jane continued.

"In the bathtub," Maura called out before opening her eyes to exit the bath. Yet when Maura opened her eyes, she was greeted with darkness.

"Is everything okay?" Jane asked, her voice now coming from the other side of the bathroom door.

"I am fine. Could you turn the light on in here, please?" Maura asked.

Jane opened the door a few inches, intending to simply stick her arm inside the bathroom and flip the light switch on. But the light switch was already on and light was filling the bathroom.

"Uh, Maura?" Jane said. "The light is already on…"

"Jane, I will never understand your jokes or sarcasm," Maura sighed as she waited for light to fill the room so she could pull her robe on.

"I'm not joking, Maura," Jane stated. "The light is on. Are you sure you're fine?"

Maura felt her heart begin to race as she moved her head from side to side and saw absolutely no movement of shadows that she should have been able to see. She put her hand in front of her face and wiggled her fingers, panic rising in her chest when she once again saw nothing.

"Jane," Maura said, her voice calm yet with a distinct hint of worry. "I need you to get me a pair of yoga pants, a top, and undergarments from my dresser and bring them in here. Once you have done that, I need you to call Mass Gen and have them page Dr. Stephen Gao who is their ophthalmologist. Then meet me back here, help me to the car, and take me to Mass Gen."

"Maur, you're freaking me out," Jane stammered as she heard her best friend tell her what she needed to do. "What's going on in there?"

"Please, Jane. Just do as I told you to do."

"Not until you tell me what the heck is going on in there!" Jane said, her voice more worried than it was angry.

"I can't see, Jane," Maura said as she reached a hand out to the handle of the sliding door of her shower to steady her as she rose to her feet.

"What?"

"I think I've gone blind."

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**Alright, what are your thoughts? Should I continue with this or is this plot super stupid? I have some awesome dialogue scenes I'd love to write but if people think it is stupid then I won't continue.**

**My father lost his vision 4 and a half years ago so writing about someone suddenly losing their vision is something very close to my heart. The reason my dad went blind is not from some random plant that has been rumored to cause blindness so I am not claiming to be an expert in this issue but I do live with someone who is blind and I have seen the effect it has on even the strongest of people, so I feel good writing about it.**

**Let me know if you'd like to see this continued or if I should just delete this right away.**


	2. Chapter 2

**After a handful of reviews suggesting I continue this story, I decided to keep going. I have a general idea of where this story is going but if ya'll have ideas, please do not hesitate to let me know!**

**Enjoy!**

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Jane kept a protective and guiding hand placed in the small of Maura's back as she helped Maura walk down the stairwell and towards her front door. Once Maura had said the word 'blind,' Jane began to rush around to get everything done Maura had requested of her. The two had only spoken a few words since the word was uttered, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

Jane helped Maura into her car before sprinting to the driver's side, practically throwing herself into the car in a rush to get Maura to the hospital. She held on to a hope that if she got Maura to the hospital quickly enough, there would be some sort of miracle the doctors could perform. Yet after merging onto the highway, Jane was met with rush-hour traffic. Her car was barely inching forward and Jane was itching to jump from the car and carry Maura to the hospital.

"Do you know if the nurses were able to page Doctor Gao?" Maura asked as she fiddled with the long sleeves of her zip-up hoodie.

"I, uh," Jane stammered, running a hand through her hair as she tried to remember the words the nurse had spoken to her while Maura got dressed. "I'm pretty sure the nurse who I talked to said she would page him. I gave her my cell number and told her to call me if she couldn't get a hold of him so we could be prepared or whatever."

"Thank you," Maura whispered as she turned her head to face the window, only to remember that she could not see the Boston cityscape no matter how hard she squinted her eyes or willed her optic nerves to work. She felt the car begin to move forward at a steadier pace and summoned her memory to create the vision in her mind where she and Jane were. She continued to do this for the next 10 minutes of silence.

"Do you have any idea how this could have happened?" Jane asked, her nerves unable to handle the silence any longer.

"I'm trying to remember," Maura said, turning her head to face Jane on instinct. "I left the morgue at 4pm, drove home, and went right to draw a bath. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to you calling my name. Except when I opened my eyes I couldn't see," Maura thought aloud.

"Did anything happen in the morgue today? Anything funky with an autopsy or anything?" Jane inquired, hoping that there was a clear explanation for what Maura was experiencing.

"It was a fairly slow day, as you know," Maura said. "A vast majority of the day was filled with paperwork," she shrugged.

"So nothing out of the ordinary?" Jane asked again, desperately wishing she could help Maura remember any small detail.

"I am trying to think, Jane!" Maura snapped, instantly regretting her tone. "I'm sorry," she added softly as she clenched her eyes shut. "It's just…The hogweed," Maura said softly, realization hitting her swiftly.

"Hog what?"

"Hogweed," Maura repeated. "It is the plant that I mentioned might have played a part in the death of the teenager from last week. Greg Smith. Just before leaving I helped Susie extract sap from the stem. I wore gloves because I know that the sap is dangerous but the sap…It must have seeped through my gloves. And…" Maura trailed off, realizing what she had done.

"And what?" Jane asked, finally exiting the highway and pressing on the gas pedal to make up for lost time.

"I rubbed my eyes," Maura said softly. "I took the gloves off and then rubbed my eyes because I was exhausted. I did not think to wash my hands because I had the gloves on but I should have known the sap might have seeped to my skin."

"Is this hogweed thing super dangerous? Like, are you blind forever or is it something we can fix? You're always talking about advances with medicine. There's gotta be an advance to counteract this stuff," Jane insisted.

"I am not as familiar with botany as I should be. I only recently began to subscribe to the American Journal of Botany," Maura admitted. "Hopefully Dr. Gao will be able to offer assistance," Maura said softly.

"Yeah," Jane said non-comically as she pulled up into the first available parking spot and quickly shut the car off, hoping out and jogging around to Maura's door. She opened it and took Maura's extended hand, helping her stand balanced before once again placing a hand at the small of Maura's back and guiding her into the hospital, fear inching its way into her.

* * *

Jane was growing more concerned for Maura by the minute. Since saying goodbye to the ophthalmologist and dropping a prescription off at the pharmacy, Maura hadn't spoken a single word. She tried to engage Maura in conversation yet it failed every time. By the time she helped Maura into her home, Jane felt as though her heart would break if she didn't see Maura at least try to smile. Jane shrugged out of her coat and turned to the coat closet, kicking her shoes off into the closet as well. When she turned around, he saw Maura with her hand on the wall slowly feeling her way towards her living room.

"Want some dinner?" Jane asked, praying that Maura would respond.

Maura had found her way to the couch and sat down with her back against the arm of the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Bass gets three of his strawberries around this time," Maura said softly.

"And you?" Jane asked, moving Maura's fridge to pull out the tortoise's nightly snack and placing them in the bowl reserved for the pet.

"I am not hungry," Maura responded.

"Well, a brilliant friend of mine once told me that, even if you aren't feeling hungry, you should try to at least eat something small after going this long of a time without food. And this friend is the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts so I think she's pretty reliable," Jane said with a soft smile.

"Was," corrected Maura. "She was the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."

"Maura," Jane said, crossing from the kitchen to the living room to sit opposite of Maura. "You heard that doctor. He said that there is a chance that this is totally temporary. That the eye drops I'm gonna have Frankie pick up will get rid of whatever crap got into your eye and you'll have your vision back."

"But that means there is also a chance that it is permanent. That the drops will not be able to fix my eyesight and I will be blind for the rest of my life. All because I made a stupid mistake and rubbed my eyes," Maura said. "What am I going to do, Jane?" Maura asked, lifting her head to look in Jane's direction.

Jane reached out to place a hand on Maura's knee, rubbing it softly to provide some level of comfort to her friend who was in obvious pain.

"I have total faith that you're gonna get your sight back, Maura," Jane admitted. "But if my gut is wrong, then you have so many other options. You could teach all sorts of things at BCU. You could teach the next Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who'll give you a run for your money or something," Jane said, giving Maura's knee a squeeze of encouragement.

Maura laughed at the idea of teaching the student who would one day take her job but tears quickly became more prominent than the laughter.

"Oh, Maura," Jane said as soon as the tears began to fall from her friends eyes. "Come here," Jane added, opening her arms up to invite Maura in a hug.

"It won't be the same," Maura said softly as she tried to stop the tears. "You'll still be a detective and will get caught up in cases and since I won't be in the same building, we'll start seeing each other less and less until we're nothing more than friends who only know what the other is up to from the occasional text."

"Really, Maura?" Jane asked. "You think that just because you get a new job that our friendship would be over?"

"It could happen."

"I'm gonna tell you something," Jane said, her arms still held open. "And you better listen to me. You, Maura Dorthea Isles, are stuck with me, Jane Clementine Rizzoli, until we're old and senile. Got it?"

Maura simply nodded, wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her hoodie.

"Now are you going to give me the hug I've been offering or are you going to continue to make me hold my arms out until they fall out of their socket?" Jane asked.

"Jane," Maura said. "Your arms cannot fall out of your socket from being held in the air for any amount of time. In fact-"

"Maura," Jane interrupted, trying not to laugh at her friend. Hearing her name, Maura leaned forward, not entirely sure where Jane was sitting. When she felt Jane's arms begin to encircle her in a hug, she pressed herself against Jane's torso, allowing the taller woman to fully embrace her.

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**I know that this chapter is super short but I've already started the third chapter and will hopefully get that up within a day or two!**

**Love to hear your thoughts!**


	3. Chapter 3

**The response for this story has been overwhelming! I never expected to get as many lovely reviews as I have gotten so thank you all so much!**

**On with the show!**

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The two friends sat on Maura's couch, Jane holding Maura in a fierce embrace as both of the women attempted to find solace for their anxiety over Maura's sudden blindness. Maura pressed her face to Jane's neck, inhaling the unique scent that the blonde associated with safety and comfort while Jane found serenity in the scent of Maura's citrusy shampoo.

A knock on Maura's door jolted them both from their reverie, causing them to pull apart from each other.

"That's probably Frankie," Jane told Maura. "He said he'd pick up your eye drops from the pharmacy. I'll grab 'em."

"Wait," Maura said softly as she reached out to try and place her hand on Jane's arm. She only managed to brush Jane's arm but still managed to still the detective. "Let me get the door," she said as she pushed herself to stand up.

"You sure?" Jane asked, watching Maura place her hand on the sofa and begin to turn herself towards the path that would take her to the front door.

"Yes," Maura stated as she took small steps, still not trusting herself to walk her normally poised gait without her vision. "I am going to need to learn to navigate this house without vision and I would like to start now. With someone here in case an accident happens."

"Alright," Jane smiled as she remained next to the couch and watched Maura move towards the wall, using her hand to follow the wall and guide her to the door. It took Maura only a minute to reach the door but to the medical examiner, she felt as though Bass could have reached the door faster.

Maura unlocked the door and pulled it open, feeling the spring breeze rustle her hair.

"Hey, Maura," came Frankie's voice. He noticed the red tint to Maura's eyes but couldn't tell if the color was from crying or her recent vision loss. "I got your drops for ya," he said with a smile. "The guy at the pharmacy also suggested I pick up some gauze eye patches for you to wear at night so you don't accidentally rub your eyes in your sleep or something. There wasn't a whole lot of eye care stuff at the store so if you want a different kind I can do that tomorrow or something."

"That is very kind of you, Frankie," Maura said as she reached her hand out and let Frankie place the handles of the plastic grocery bag in her hand. "I am sure that whatever you have picked out is perfect. Thank you very much for doing this for me."

"It ain't a problem at all," Frankie said. "It's what family does."

"Would you like to come in for a beer?" Maura offered. "I keep some of Jane's favorite stocked in my fridge but I am sure she wouldn't mind sharing with you."

"Can't," Frankie responded. "I picked up a buddy's patrol shift tonight so I gotta get going. But I'll be at Sunday dinner."

"Of course," Maura smiled. "I will see you on Sunday, then."

"See ya, Maura. Bye Janie!" Frankie said, figuring that his sister could hear him before turning around and jogging back to his car.

Maura walked back into her home, closing her front door softly. She flipped the lock into place and sighed deeply as she turned around.

"Jane?" she called, unsure where her friend was.

"Right here," Jane said softly, walking up next to Maura and reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Could you read the instructions on these drops?" Maura asked, holding the bag Frankie had brought in the general direction where Jane stood.

"Sure," Jane said, taking the bag and pulling the small box that housed Maura's eye drops out. "It says to put two drops in each eye three times a day," Jane said.

"Thanks," Maura replied. "Would you like to go to sleep?" Maura asked. "I don't know what time it is but I can imagine that it is getting late."

"It's almost 11," Jane said. "So, yeah, I'd like to go to sleep."

* * *

"Jane?" Maura's soft voice called from her bathroom.

"Yeah?" Jane asked, making no move to leave the bed she had flopped on after pulling on a pair of flannel pajama pants and an old Red Sox t-shirt.

"Could you…help me?"

Hearing that Maura needed help, Jane jumped from the bed and quickly reached Maura's bathroom, her hand on the doorknob.

"You decent in there?" Jane asked.

"Yes," Maura laughed as she heard Jane turn the doorknob and enter the bathroom. When she felt Jane's presence next to her, Maura suddenly felt self-conscious at what she was incapable of doing.

"How can I help?" the detective asked, noticing that Maura's eyebrows were furrowed and she appeared to be on the verge of breaking down.

"I have three steps to washing my face at night," Maura said softly. "There is the wash, the toner, and the moisturizer. The problem is, each of the bottles is the same shape and size so I am not sure which bottle is which at the moment," Maura continued as she pointed to the three bottles of product that she had set out on her counter.

"I'll help ya," Jane said with a smile as she examined each of the bottles, placing them in a line on the counter. "The bottle on the far left is the wash, the middle one is the toner, and the one on the right is the moisturizer," Jane said after she had organized the bottles. "Anything else I can help with?"

"No, thank you, though," Maura whispered. The realization that she might never see again had yet to fully sink in and seemed to hit her in waves of pain.

"I'll go warm up your side of the bed," Jane said with a chuckle, placing a soft kiss to the side of Maura's head, noticing the pain on her friend's face.

Jane left the bathroom and grabbed her laptop before sitting cross legged on the bed. She leaned against the headboard and began her search, bookmarking several pages before Maura emerged from the bathroom in her silk pajama set.

Maura walked to her side of the bed and propped herself up against the headboard next to Jane, hearing the soft clicking of the keyboard.

"What are you up to?" Maura asked softly, turning her head to face Jane.

"Nothing important," Jane replied as she closed her laptop, set in on the bedside table, and turned to look at Maura. "Wanna tell me what's going on in that big brain of yours?"

"I'm scared," Maura admitted. "Being a medical examiner is such a crucial part of who I am. I would love to teach, of course, but...I have finally found a place where I am valued and can use my intelligence for good and feel confident in myself. I don't want to lose that."

"You won't," Jane tried to reassure her. "Just because you might have to change professions doesn't mean you'll lose anything. You'll still have me and my crazy family to deal with, will be changing the lives of every student you teach, and will be the same quirky and beautiful woman we all know and love. You'll still be you."

"Logically I think I know that but emotionally…Emotionally I am all over the place right now," Maura confessed.

"Well, then let's get some sleep and deal with emotions tomorrow," Jane said as she reached out and gave Maura's hand a squeeze.

Maura nodded and readjusted herself so she was lying down on her bed. Jane did the same, groaning loudly as she moved her upper back and felt pain.

"Jane?" Maura asked, lifting her head to look at her friend when she heard the groan of pain. "Are you okay?"

"I'm good," Jane said. "My back's just been giving me problems since I had to tackle that giant gang member the other day."

"Roll over," Maura said, sitting back up.

"Huh?"

"Roll onto your stomach," Maura clarified. "I'll give you a massage to help ease the pain you are obviously in."

"You don't have to do that, Maura," Jane said. "I'm the one who is here to take care of you, remember?"

"Just because you are helping take care of me does not mean that you need to be in pain. Now roll over," Maura commanded.

When Jane rolled onto her stomach and folded her arms onto her pillow and relaxed her head, she felt Maura crawl on top of her and kneel at the small of her back. Jane was surprised that Maura had so unashamedly knelt over her friend and went to protest but was silenced when Maura placed her hands on Jane's back over her thin shirt and began to massage her aching muscles.

Maura murmured something under her breath as she massaged Jane but what was said Jane couldn't tell. After several more minutes and a few more words muttered, Jane opened one eye to look up at her friend.

"What are you saying up there?" she asked.

"I am saying the names of the muscles I am working on as I massage them," Maura said shyly. "Knowing that I can still identify muscles without actually seeing them offers me comfort. I'm sorry if it wasn't relaxing," Maura added, her hands still working out the knots and aches Jane had.

"Feels great," Jane groaned as Maura worked out a particularly large knot in her back. "Really great," she added as Maura's hands skirted over the exposed skin of her lower back where her shirt had ridden up.

"Less pain?" Maura whispered, not trusting her voice to remain calm as she battled both the emotions surrounding her vision loss and the feelings she was encountering in regards to Jane.

"Yeah," Jane sighed contentedly.

Hearing that, Maura removed herself from her kneeling position over Jane and curled up on her side, her back to Jane. She felt a tidal wave of emotions threatening to spill forward and did not want Jane to see should any tears escape.

Jane saw the pain in Maura's face before she rolled away from her and sighed, wishing there was something more she could do to ease the pain of her best friend. She knew she couldn't medically help Maura so she did the next best thing. She scooted her body to mold against Maura's back and wrapped an arm around Maura's waist, squeezing softly.

"If I could," Jane whispered in Maura's ear, "I would give up my eyesight for you to get yours back."

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**Thoughts?**

**I'm driving my dad to give a presentation to a club about an hour away tonight so, although this chapter could have been longer, I wanted to get it up before I headed out. **


	4. Chapter 4

**I am constantly in awe of the reviews that I have been getting. It means so much to me to know that my writing is appreciated and enjoyed by fellow fans.**

**Enjoy this chapter!**

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Maura's internal clock woke her early the next morning and she found herself still wrapped in Jane's embrace. She smiled as she felt Jane's breath tickling her neck but her smile quickly disappeared when she opened her eyes and was greeted with darkness. Her heart sank when she blinked her eyes rapidly to no avail and was hit with the realization that her blindness was not a dream.

"Jane," she said gently, her voice hoarse from not being used.

"Hmm?" came the response from behind her.

"Can you tell me what time it is?" Maura asked. "I didn't call Lieutenant Cavanaugh yesterday and I would like to let him know I will be out of the office with enough time left for him to call in Dr. Pike."

"It is…" Jane trailed off, lifting her head to look at the alarm clock on the bedside table next to Maura. "It's just before 6," she finished. "I'll call Cav for you," Jane said as she reluctantly pulled away from Maura and sat up. "Then I'll come back, help you with the eye drops, put those gauze things Frankie got you on, and catch a few more hours of sleep. Sound good?"

Jane didn't hear a response from Maura and looked down to see that Maura's eyes were closed and her breathing had evened out, indicating sleep. Shaking her head, Jane grabbed her cellphone and walked out of Maura's room to not disturb her.

Jane called Cavanaugh and let him know what had happened. He told her that Maura would need to fill out paperwork in order to receive pay for her medical leave and Jane offered to come pick the paperwork up once he had it available. He also subtly told Jane that she had more unused personal days than any other BPD employee and that she should focus her energy on being there for Maura.

Walking back into Maura's bedroom, Jane grabbed the eye drops and gauze pads from where Maura had set them on her dresser. She softly walked to Maura's side of the bed and sat down near Maura's legs.

"Hey, Maura?" Jane said softly, brushing a bit of hair away from Maura's face. "Maura?" Jane repeated a bit louder.

"Huh?" Maura asked, opening her eyes and lifting her head a bit to look in the direction of Jane's voice.

"Eye drops and gauze," Jane smiled.

"Oh, right," Maura said as she moved to sit up.

"Hey," Jane said, placing a hand on Maura's shoulder. "You can stay lying down. It'll probably be easier for me to get the drops in if you're horizontal."

Maura simply nodded her head as she relaxed onto the bed, her head resting on pillow as she lay on her back.

"Crap," she heard Jane mutter after a bit of rustling from what sounded like the grocery bag the drops and gauze pads were in.

"That doesn't sound promising," Maura chuckled.

"Frankie didn't get any tape to hold the gauze onto your eyes. But since you're you, I'm guessing you've got plenty of that somewhere in this house," Jane said. "Bathroom?" she asked.

"Under the far left side of the sink there is a first aid kid with medical tape," Maura smiled. The bed shifted as Jane rose to grab the tape and dipped back a minute later when she returned.

"Ready?" Jane asked as she uncapped the small vial of eye drops.

"Yes," Maura said softly as she opened her eyes and willed her pupils to look directly at the ceiling to make Jane's job easier.

"Want me to give you a countdown or just do it?"

"Um," Maura said, not sure which she preferred. "Countdown, I think."

Jane inhaled deeply and poised the vial above Maura's face. She tilted the vial slightly in preparation.

"Alright," she said softly. "One…two…three," Jane said before tilting the vial more and squeezing, a single drop falling into Maura's left eye. "And the next eye in one…two…three," she repeated as she allowed a drop to fall into Maura's right eye. "Feel okay?" Jane asked, not sure if the drops would cause Maura any pain.

"Fine," Maura said as her eyes blinked a few times. "Going to put the eye patches on now?"

"Yeah," Jane said as she capped the vial and set it aside. "Should I be wearing gloves or something for this?" she asked, suddenly nervous that she might cause Maura more problems.

"If the gauze eye patches are what I think they are, they should be a bit of a concave design which means that they won't actually be touching my eye. Is that correct?"

Jane opened the box of eye pads and pulled one of the plastic packets out that contained a pad. "Yeah," she said. "They're like a pirate's eye patch, only white and without the skull and crossbones," she laughed.

"Then you shouldn't need to wear gloves," Maura confirmed. "Just handle them as little as possible and around the edges and you should be good."

"Kay," Jane said as she opened the packet and pulled out two eye patches. She placed it over one of Maura's eyes and felt the doctor jump slightly. "Sorry," Jane said, instantly pulling back.

"You're fine," Maura said, knowing Jane's fears of hurting Maura. "It was reflex. I felt something on my face and instinct kicked in. You didn't hurt me," she soothed.

"You sure?" Jane asked, still not sure that she hadn't harmed her friend.

"I'm positive," Maura smiled as she reached a hand out to feel for Jane. She felt her leg and rubbed soothing circles over the flannel.

"If you say so," Jane said as she picked the eye patch up again. "I'm gonna put it over your left eye now," Jane let Maura know to avoid startling her again. Maura remained relaxed as she felt Jane place the patch over her eye and affix it with a few small pieces of tape. "Now the right eye," Jane said as she mimicked the same actions over Maura's other eye. "Beautiful," Jane stated as she looked down at her handiwork.

Maura laughed when she heard Jane announce her as beautiful.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jane," Maura scoffed. "I am certain that I am everything but beautiful."

"You're always beautiful, Maur," Jane said, her voice laced with honesty. "Lemme throw this stuff back onto your dresser and grab your camera. I'll take a photo of you to show you when you get your vision back that I'm not being ridiculous."

"But-"

"No buts," Jane interrupted as she grabbed a packet of eye patches before setting the box and vial on Maura's dresser. She grabbed Maura's camera from its case and crawled up onto the bed to lay next to Maura. "Smile," Jane said as she aimed the camera at Maura, a warmth filled her body when Maura smiled in the direction of Jane. "Lovely," Jane said after snapping a few candid shots of Maura.

"Take one with me?" Maura asked.

"You wanna take a selfie?" Jane laughed.

"Yes," Maura laughed as she heard the rustling of plastic that Jane was obviously trying to mask. She didn't ask what Jane was doing and smiled when she felt Jane scoot closer to her, placing their heads next to each other.

"Alright," Jane said. "I'm gonna hold the camera up in the air so look up and say cheese." The click of the camera signaled that the photo had been taken. "Now make a goofy face," Jane instructed, contorting her face while Maura did the same and snapping another photo.

"How do they look?" Maura asked, turning to face Jane.

Jane smiled and began to look through the photos of her and Maura. Their hair had sprawled out on their respective pillows but mixed together where the brought their heads together. The photo of them smiling was a bit blurry but the one where they were both making faces was clear and Jane smiled when she saw the photo. It wasn't the most attractive but what Jane loved most was that the gauze pads that were protecting Maura's eyes could also be found covering Jane's eyes. They matched and Jane couldn't wait for Maura's sight to return so she could show her the image.

"They look great," Jane said with a smile as she set the camera down on the bedside table along with the eye patches she had worn for the photo. "I can't wait for you to see them," she added as she once again molded her body to Maura's back and pulled her into her arms for a few more hours of sleep.

* * *

Maura awoke when she heard music coming from her kitchen. She turned to ask Jane if she knew if Angela was at work or had the day off when she realized she was alone in her bed. Maura slowly set up and ran her fingers through her hair, taking a few deep breaths to wake herself up. She stood up and slowly walked into her bathroom. She grabbed her fuzzy robe that Angela had bought her for her birthday and wrapped it around her and placed her hand on the wall to guide her to the kitchen.

When she reached the kitchen, heard music coming from what she assumed was Jane's laptop and soft singing coming from the brunette.

"I didn't know you could sing," Maura said, removing her hand from the wall to cross the room to where the island was she could sit at.

"Jeeze!" Jane said, nearly dropping the spoon she was mixing batter with when she heart Maura's voice. "You scared me, Maura. Don't you know never to sneak up on a cop?"

"Sorry," Maura said with a soft laugh. "Didn't know that I was capable of frightening the big, bad Detective Rizzoli."

"Ha, ha," Jane said sarcastically as she resumed her actions since her heart stopped pounding.

"You're cooking," Maura stated as she sat down on one of the barstools across from where Jane was cooking.

"Correct," Jane smiled as she continued to maneuver around the kitchen.

"What are you making?" Maura asked.

"Guess," Jane said with a smile.

"You know that I can't guess, Jane," Maura said.

"Well, then," Jane sighed. "You're gonna have to use your scientific reasoning to deduce what it is I am cooking."

Maura shook her head at her friend but decided to play along. She inhaled deeply, trying to decipher the scents that filled her kitchen. While trying to sort through the scents she also began to listen for sounds of what Jane might be doing.

"Pancakes," Maura smiled as she heard the flip and sizzle of pancakes.

"Chocolate chip ones for me, blueberry for you," Jane clarified when Maura identified the first part of her breakfast. "What else?"

"I smell sausage," Maura said with a smile. When she heard a clink, she added "And you just cracked an egg into a bowl."

"You are correct," Jane said as she began to whisk the eggs. "I've also got the toaster out for your raisin bread but that'll get done last since it only takes a minute."

"Coffee?" Maura asked, noticing a distinct lack of coffee aroma.

"Yeah, about that…" Jane laughed as she poured the scrambled eggs into a hot pan to cook. "I still have no idea how to work your coffee machine. I got everything set up but I have no idea which buttons to hit or anything like that."

"I can do it," Maura said as she slid off the barstool and moved to her coffee maker. After years of making coffee for her and Jane, she was able to press the buttons in the correct order without thinking about it or using her sight. "I can feel you staring at me," she said softly as the machine whirred to lift and Maura moved to once again sit on the barstool.

"You're amazing," Jane laughed. "I can see and couldn't figure out how to use that contraption. You can't see and did it in .7 seconds."

"Years of practice," Maura quipped.

The two made idle chit-chat as Jane finished her and Maura's breakfast. Jane made up a plate for Maura, remembering what she had searched on her laptop the night prior.

"Alright," Jane said as she brought Maura's plate to her friend and placed it in front of her. "At 12 o'clock you've got two slices of toast, three o'clock is where your scrambled eggs are, six o'clock are your pancakes, and nine o'clock is the sausage. Knife and fork are on the right side of your place and coffee mug is right above those."

"Jane…" Maura breathed, hearing how Jane had arranged her plate so she could easily eat her first meal without vision. "Thank you," she said, suddenly filled with emotions.

"It's no problem," Jane smiled as she kissed Maura's head as she set her own plate down and sat on the stool next to Maura. "Now dig in! I'm used to generic brand pancake mix so using your fancy pancake stuff was odd and I'm not sure they turned out all too well."

Picking her knife and fork up, Maura located the pancakes on her plate and cut a small piece of them. She lifted it to her mouth and tasted them, smiling as she did so.

"They're great, Jane," Maura smiled as she began to cut another piece of pancake. "You're great."

"It's like Frankie said last night," Jane said, her mouth filled with eggs. "That's what family is for."

Maura smiled and continued to eat, each of them enjoying the occasional bird chirping from outside.

"Oh!" Jane said suddenly. "I'm gonna run to headquarters later today to pick up some forms Cav says you need to fill out for medical leave and also grab some case files so I don't get too far behind and can still help the guys out."

"Jane," Maura said as she set her fork down and place a hand on Jane's arm. "You don't need to stay with me longer than a day. I should be fine. Really."

"Too late," Jane smiled. "Cav already told me I've got more personal days that anyone he's ever seen and that he'd be cool with me taking some time to be with you. So, you're stuck with me. Sucks, huh?"

Maura gave Jane a soft shove, laughing as she did so.

"Being stuck with you might suck for others but for me it is lovely. I don't know how I got so lucky to have a friend like you," Maura said.

"I wonder the same thing every day," Jane said. "But enough of this mushy gushy stuff this early in the morning," she laughed. "You done?" Jane asked.

"Yes, thank you," Maura smiled as she heard Jane rise from the barstool and collect her plate. "If you leave the dishes in the sink I can wash them while you're out."

"I won't say no to that offer!"

"When are you heading out to headquarters?" Maura asked.

"I was thinking I'd throw on some jeans and shirt and head out now. I look semi-presentable and I'll only be there for a couple minutes."

"Could you maybe help me with something before you leave?" Maura asked.

"Anything," Jane said.

"Since I cannot read to keep myself entertained, could you perhaps find me something to play on television while you're gone? Or a movie?"

"I can totally do that," Jane replied. "Do you wanna watch it in the living room or your room?"

"Living room, please," Maura answered.

* * *

After picking up Maura's forms and her case files from headquarters, Jane made one last pit stop before heading back to Maura's house. She used her spare key to enter the house, smiling when she saw Maura's blonde hair over the top of the couch.

"Hey, Maur," Jane said as she placed the small bag with her purchase on the counter and took her shoes off.

"Hi," Maura smiled as she turned her head to face Jane. Maura had removed the patches from her eyes shortly after Jane left so that she would notice if any amount of her vision began to come back.

"The guys and ma said to tell you hello," Jane told her as she began to silently move around Maura's kitchen with her purchase.

"That is sweet," Maura said. "Perhaps we could ask Angela if inviting Vince and Barry to Sunday dinner is okay? I know it is usually for family but since I won't get to work with them for a while I'd like to see if we can invite them."

"That sounds like a stellar plan," Jane said, finishing her work in the kitchen. "I'm gonna run upstairs and throw some sweats on real fast," she said as she quickly walked up the stairs and into Maura's room. She pulled her sweats on quickly and went into Maura's bathroom with her purchase, making a few adjustments with it before heading back down to join Maura.

"What were you doing in the kitchen?" Maura asked when she heard Jane walking back down the stairs.

"Did you get supersonic hearing when you lost your vision?" Jane asked with a laugh. "I thought I was being sneaky," she added.

"Some studies suggest that when you lose one sense the others are heightened, although there are no real scientific studies to back that claim up," Maura said simply. "But you're deflecting."

"It's what I do," Jane smiled. "But if you take my hand and come to the kitchen with me, I'll tell you what I was doing."

Maura reached out and took Jane's hand, lacing their fingers together as she stood up and allowed Jane to bring her to the kitchen.

"Feel your oven," Jane said with a smile.

"Pardon?" Maura asked, not understanding Jane's command.

"The top of your oven where the clock is," Jane clarified. "Feel it and tell me what you feel."

Hesitantly, Maura ran her fingers over the part of her stove where the clock and function buttons were. She felt a small raised dot, then another, and two more.

"Jane?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "What are those things I'm feeling?"

"They're these little craft store rhinestone stickers I read about blind people using," Jane said. "The dot on the far left is the button you'd press to turn the oven on. Going to the right you have the button to start the over or the timer, then the timer button, then the up arrow to adjust the time or temperature. If you hit the on button on the far left then the button right next to it, the over will be automatically set to 350 degrees. But you can use the arrows where the last dot is to adjust the temperature. That way you can reheat stuff or cook meals if I'm sleeping or not here."

"What do you mean you've read about them?" Maura asked, still running her fingers over the small rhinestone stickers.

"Last night while you were washing your face I started looking up ways I could help you. That's how I knew to arrange your breakfast plate using the face of a clock and find these rhinestones. Oh, and speaking of washing your face, come upstairs!" Jane said, eagerly taking Maura's hand and guiding her up the stairs.

When they reached Maura's bathroom, Jane let go of Maura's hand and stood by the sink with a smile.

"Grab the bottles you used last night for you face washing deal and tell me if anything feels different," Jane said.

Nodding, Maura reached out and felt her fingertips brush a bottle. She took it and ran her hands over it. She felt no difference until she felt a rhinestone sticker on the cap. Setting it down, she grabbed the second bottle and felt three stickers on the top and, when she felt the cap of the last bottle, she felt two stickers.

"The wash has one sticker, the toner has two, and the moisturizer has three," Jane said, even though Maura had already figured that out. "Since that's the order they go in, right?"

Maura found her throat closing as she fought back tears at the kindness Jane was showing her so she simply nodded affirmation to Jane's question.

"I also put a sticker on the pump for your shampoo so you can tell the difference between that and the conditioner since they're the same size and shape," Jane added. When she noticed the tears forming in Maura's eyes, she suddenly felt uncertain of her actions. She was proud of herself for taking initiative to help Maura but suddenly doubted if Maura was appreciative. "Hey," she said as she took Maura's hands in each of her own and squeezed them softly. "If you don't like 'em or they're tacky just let me know and I can get rid of them."

"No," Maura said as she shook her head and willed the tears to go away. "I love them, Jane," she managed to say.

"You sure?" Jane asked, noting the way Maura's voice cracked.

"I'm positive," Maura nodded. "I'm just feeling very overwhelmed at the moment," she said. "My sudden blindness is obviously very worrisome and has me realizing many fears. Your kindness and dedication to helping me is also quite overwhelming. Plus I am finding myself with feelings I never thought I would have." A tear escaped Maura's eye and rolled down her cheek.

"I can totally start acting like a sarcastic ass if that'll be easier to deal with than kindness," Jane joked as she let go of one of Maura's hand to wipe the tear from her friend's face.

"_Start_ acting?" Maura asked, raising an eyebrow at Jane.

"Hey!" Jane laughed, taking her hand from where it cupped Maura's cheek and giving her friend and playful shove to the shoulder. "I find that statement offensive!"

"You know I'm kidding," Maura laughed. "You are one of the most kind hearted people I have ever known, even if you don't always show that side of you to others."

"Thanks," Jane said softly as she once again grasped Maura's hands in her own. "What did you mean when you said you were having feelings you never thought you'd have?" Jane asked.

Maura's heart skipped a beat as she realized she would soon have to tell Jane about the feelings she was having for her. Although she herself was blind, Jane wasn't and would surely notice the hives that would appear if Maura attempted to lie about what she was feeling.

"Um," Maura said, trying to figure out how she could answer Jane's question. "I am simply…The feelings I have encountered since losing my vision…I suppose they are not new feelings," Maura stammered, "But they are feelings I have tried to ignore and deny."

"Maura," Jane said, her voice soft yet firm. "Are you safe?"

"What?" Maura asked, her head moving to look away from the floor and at Jane's face. "Oh, yes!" Maura quickly said. "I'm safe, Jane. I would never cause myself any sort of purposeful bodily harm."

"I just had to check," Jane said, breathing a sigh of relief. "You don't have to tell me what you're feeling if you don't want to," Jane added. "But know that I'm here for you for anything and everything. You're never gonna get rid of me," she laughed.

"Do you promise?" Maura asked, her voice soft.

"You know I do."

Maura took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she took a step towards Jane. Their hands were still connected so Maura guided her and Jane's intertwined hands to rest on her hips. Jane remained silent as her own heart began to pound at the lack of space between her and her best friend. Maura moved her head forward and rested it in the crook of Jane's neck between her head and shoulder. Taking one last calming breath, Maura pressed her lips to Jane's skin.

Jane's breath hitched when she felt Maura's lips make contact with her skin and she automatically pulled the honey blonde closer to her, their hands still intertwined on Maura's hips. She missed the feeling of Maura's lips when Maura pulled her head away but was relieved when Maura pressed her forehead to Jane's, both of their eyes closed and breaths mingling.

"Maura?" Jane whispered, afraid to speak at a normal volume for fear of bursting the bubble she and Maura had just created.

"Yes, Jane?" Maura responded just as softly.

"I think I'm gonna kiss you in about 5 seconds," the detective admitted.

"I think I will kiss you back in about 5 seconds," was Maura's response.

* * *

**Longest chapter yet but I had to leave it here! Gotta give ya'll a reason to come back for the next chapter!**

**Personally I think the idea of Jane wearing the gauze eye pads for her photo with Maura is really funny and sweet and cute. Something goofy that Jane would do. But will Maura ever see the photo and know what Jane did? Hmmm. Good question.**

**The using the face of a clock to describe where food is on a plate and the rhinestone stickers are things that my family uses quite a bit with my dad! They work really well! Haha**

**I'd love to hear your thoughts!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Not much of an author's note to leave other than ya'll continue to blow me away with your support!**

**Here we go!**

* * *

Hearing no objection from Maura, Jane licked her lips and leaned her head down, preparing to kiss the woman who had changed her life in the best of ways.

"Janie? Maura?"

Jane's eyes flew open when she heard her mother's voice coming from the stairwell.

"Ma said she'd try to bring us some lunch when I stopped at the café earlier," Jane whispered, pulling back a bit to rest her forehead against Maura's.

"We should go meet her before she comes looking," Maura suggested, although she made no move to leave Jane's embrace.

"Yeah," Jane agreed, reluctantly stepping backwards and putting a foot of distance between her and Maura. "Be right down, ma!" Jane called to her mother. Maura's grip on Jane's hands loosened but Jane only let one of her hands go free. "I'll help guide you down the stairs," Jane said softly.

"You don't have to guide me down the stairs, Jane," Maura smiled. "I think I can manage."

"I know," Jane said as she ran a hand through her hair. "I just wanna hold your hand for a bit longer, if that's okay?"

"That's perfect," Maura replied.

Jane turned her body and began to walk out of Maura's bathroom, walking slowly so Maura could follow her. They crossed through Maura's bedroom and just before entering the hallway, Maura tugged on Jane's arm. She pulled Jane towards her and kissed Jane's cheek softly.

Grinning, Jane found herself walking a bit taller as she helped Maura down the stairs to greet her mother who was already fiddling in the kitchen with the lunch she had brought the women.

"Hey, ma," Jane said as she entered the kitchen and guided Maura to sit at the barstool where she had eaten breakfast earlier.

"Maura!" Angela said, quickly setting her lunch supplies down and scurrying to Maura's side, enveloping the women in a fierce embrace. "When Janie told me what happened I thought my heart was breaking. I've been praying for you to get your sight back and I was thinking of asking some of the gals at church to also send some prayers for you," she continued, still hugging Maura. "Is Janie taking good care of you?"

"Thank you, Angela," Maura smiled as she returned the Rizzoli matriarch's hug. "Jane is taking very good care of me," she added with a smile as she remembered the way it sounded to hear Jane say she was going to kiss her. She only wished she had gotten the chance to actually kiss the detective before being interrupted.

"Good," Angela said as she pulled away from Maura. "If she starts to act up or get on your nerves, you just let me know and I'll take care of her for ya," Angela said before returning to finish preparing the meal she had brought the women.

"Gee, thanks, ma," Jane laughed as she sat on the barstool next to Maura. Maura sensed Jane's presence next to her and gently laid her hand on top of Jane's thigh, a smile gracing her lips when she felt Jane grasp her hand.

"Angela?" Maura asked as Jane began to rub the back of her hand with her thumb. "I was wondering if perhaps Barry and Vince could be accommodated at Sunday dinner? I know it is a family affair but since I do not expect to be at work for some time, I think I would like to have them over this week. Is that something we could do?"

"Of course, sweetie!" Angela smiled. "I'm sure they'd love to come and finally taste my cannoli! Do you—what are these things on your oven?"

"Jane put them there," Maura smiled as she squeezed Jane's hand. "She put them on the main buttons I would use should I ever desire to cook when no one else is around. They allow me to feel where the appropriate buttons are. She also used the rhinestones on my bath products to help me differentiate between products."

"That's our Jane," Angela said as she put a plate in front of both Jane and Maura. "Always trying to help others."

"Salad is at three o'clock, lasagna at 6 o'clock, garlic bread diagonal between nine and twelve o'clock," Jane said softly to Maura when she saw Maura pick up her fork.

"Thank you," Maura whispered back to Jane.

"What are you gals gossiping about?" Angela asked as she cleaned up the mess she had made.

"Nothing, ma," Jane smiled. "Just being 'your Jane' and helping others."

"I have to run," Angela said sadly. "Stanley's out sick so I'm working more than usual but I wanted to make sure I got some home-made food in you and at least saw my other daughter."

"Thank you, Angela," Maura smiled as she heard the elder Rizzoli pick up her keys and walk towards her and Jane. "We will see you soon," she added as Angela gave both Jane and Maura a hug.

Once Angela shut Maura's front door and Jane ensured that it was locked, Jane turned back to the kitchen to see Maura already loading dishes into her dishwasher.

"Did you maybe wanna put in a movie?" Jane asked uncertainly. Her stomach was still filled with butterflies from the kiss she had almost shared with Maura. The kiss she still wanted to share with Maura.

"That would be nice," Maura replied as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel and began to walk towards her living room. She kept one hand on the wall to guide her and smiled when she felt Jane come up beside her and take her free hand. They walked hand in hand to the couch, Jane sitting Maura down and ensuring she was comfortable .

"Are you feeling like watching something on pay per view or choose from your personal collection?" Jane asked.

"I think it would be best to put in a movie that I have already seen. Since I can't see what is happening on the screen, if it is a movie I am unfamiliar with I might not be able to follow the storyline," Maura said. Although she tried to mask the hurt in her voice, Jane detected it.

"I've got an idea," Jane smiled as she grabbed the remote and sat down on Maura's right side. "Since we've got all this free time, I am going to introduce you to all of the best animated children's movies of all time."

"Jane," Maura said with a shake of her head. "I did have a childhood, contrary to popular belief."

"I'm sure you did," Jane laughed. "But a childhood filled with documentaries just can't compete with a childhood filled with Disney movies. So to make up for all those years lost to boring documentaries, we are gonna watch some classic kid movies. Starting with…" Jane trailed off, using the remote to search through the list of children's movies that she could order. "The Lion King!"

"The 1994 film with music by Elton John and Tim Rice," Maura said as Jane selected the movie. "It is one of the most successful Disney films, being re-released in theatres in 3D in 2011 and transformed into a Broadway musical."

"Thank you, Maura," Jane laughed as the movie began to play. "Now hush. It's starting."

As the movie's opening song began to play, Maura scooted her body to press against Jane's left side. Jane smiled as she wrapped her left arm around Maura's shoulders and pulled her flush against her, the smile on her face widening when Maura relaxed her head onto Jane's shoulder.

Throughout the movie, Jane's fingers found themselves tracing idle pattern's on the skin of Maura's arm or tapping along to the music, which often caused Maura to giggle at Jane's attempt at keeping rhythm. While Maura was paying close attention to the movie, Jane found her mind wandering to the woman who was curled up at her side. Jane was hesitant to throw the word love around unless she truly meant it—she had seen too many people promise to love someone only to leave or profess their love when they meant simple lust. Yet when Jane began to think of words she would relate to Maura, love continued to pop into her head.

"Jane?" came Maura's voice, snapping Jane from her thoughts.

"Yeah?" Jane asked, noticing the way Maura's head was still resting on her shoulder.

"The movie ended."

Jane looked up to see credits rolling and an instrumental version of Circle of Life coming from Maura's television.

"Sorry," Jane softly as she used her right hand to run a hand through her hair. "Did you like the movie?" she asked.

Maura simply nodded her head, smiling as she felt Jane's fingers begin to draw patterns on her skin once again. Maura turned her head a bit towards Jane and, mimicking her actions from earlier, placed her lips on Jane's neck.

"If anyone is going to walk into your house," Jane said softly, "they'd better do it in the next 4 seconds because in 5 seconds I'm gonna kiss you," alluding to the words she had said to Maura in the bathroom only a short while earlier.

Jane felt Maura's lips, still pressed against her neck, curve into a smile before pulling away and lifting her head to be level with Jane's. Maura placed on of her hands on Jane's neck, her thumb resting on the thin scar Hoyt had inflicted on the detective.

After counting to five in her head, Jane leaned her head down, intending to simply press her lips to Maura's for a soft kiss. Yet the moment their lips touched, Maura's hand on her neck pulled Jane closer and Jane's grip on Maura's shoulder tightened and what Jane thought would be a chaste kiss transformed to quite possibly the best kiss of her life.

Maura could tell you the science behind kissing: a decrease in stress hormones and an increase in positive hormones. It is simple chemistry with a dash of neuroscience. Yet every scientific thought left Maura's brain when Jane kissed her and Maura felt her entire body radiating happiness.

Jane was the first to pull away, her lungs begging for oxygen. She took a quick deep breath and pressed a softer kiss to Maura's lips before resting her forehead against Maura's and opening her eyes. She smiled when she saw the look on Maura's face: eyes closed, face with a rosy tint, and a soft smile on her lips.

"You're staring," Maura whispered as she sensed Jane's eyes on her face.

"Yep," Jane confirmed without shame. "Just trying to file this moment away in my 'Best Moments Ever' mental filing cabinet. Not sure if it should go above the day I got promoted to homicide detective or just below. I'm leaning towards above."

Grinning, Maura leaned forward and capture Jane's lips in another kiss, parting her lips slightly as she did so. When she reluctantly pulled away, she moved her hand from Jane's neck to grasp Jane's right hand.

"Yep," Jane confirmed. "This definitely is going above the day I got promoted to homicide detective."

* * *

With the ice broken, Jane and Maura spent the rest of the day sneaking kisses to the other whenever possible. The kisses were soft and not meant to excite the other but rather to communicate happiness. Each woman's tongue remained in her mouth in a silent agreement to take things slowly.

While the women sat propped up against Maura's headboard, Jane continuing her internet research for ways to help Maura in her blindness, Maura would press soft kisses to Jane's neck and jaw before Jane turned to properly kiss her lips.

While Maura stood next to Jane in the kitchen as the women prepared dinner and began to explain why the onions Jane was dicing made her eyes water, Jane quickly pressed her lips to Maura's, stopping the honey blonde mid-sentence in the most delicious of ways.

"How is your back feeling?" Maura asked as she and Jane stood in Maura's bathroom, both of them brushing their teeth before bed.

"It's still bugging me a little bit," Jane said after spitting into the sink and wiping toothpaste from her lips. "But better than it was," she clarified.

"Maybe after you put my eye drops in and cover my eyes I could give you another massage," Maura suggested as she finished brushing her teeth and turned her body towards Jane.

"I'd be down with that," Jane murmured as she put her hands on Maura's hips and kissed the medical examiner's nose. Maura laughed as she, too, placed a soft kiss to Jane's nose.

"I'm not going to give you the massage in the bathroom so we should probably head to the bedroom," Maura laughed when she realized Jane wasn't making any move to leave the bathroom.

"I guess you're right," Jane sighed dramatically as she bent her knees and surprised Maura by scooping her up bridal style. Maura threw her arms around Jane's neck for balance as both of the women laughed as Jane guided them safely to the bed. Maura placed a kiss to Jane's neck just before Jane laid her down on her side of the bed and sat next to her, preparing the eye drops and patches.

Jane repeated the actions she had done prior, placing a soft kiss just below the eye patches to signal that she had finished.

"My turn!" Jane cheered as she flopped onto the bed next to Maura, causing the blonde to giggle at her antics.

"Yes, it is," Maura said as she shook her head and moved to kneel over Jane like she had done the previous night. She ran her hands lightly over the fabric of Jane's shirt and bit her lip in concentration. Jane sensed her hesitation and curiosity won.

"What are you thinking?" Jane asked.

"I was thinking that I might be able to work the muscles a bit better without the shirt in the way. But I don't want to be too forward to suggest something like that unless you are okay with it. I just figured that-"

"Okay," Jane said as she reached for the hem of her shirt and managed to pull it over her head while still lying horizontal on the bed. "Normally I'd make you take me on a date before getting me shirtless but you're a special case. But you gotta take yours off, too. It's only fair."

Shaking her head, Maura unbuttoned the silk pajama shirt she had chosen to wear and shrugged it off, revealing the red lace bra she hadn't yet removed. She tossed the shirt to the floor next to her side of the bed, figuring she would pick it up after the massage.

Smiling at the relaxed attitude Jane seemed to have, Maura placed her hands on Jane's bare shoulders, the straps of her bra easier to maneuver around than the fabric of a shirt. She began to work out the knots she found, occasionally just running her hands over Jane's back to soothe the sore muscles.

"Do you want to know what I am most afraid of?" Maura said softly as she massaged along Jane's spine. She knew that massages typically were silent and stress free but she felt as though Jane would be accepting of her conversation.

"What?" Jane asked softly.

"I am afraid I am going to forget what your face looks like," Maura admitted sadly. "And Angela, Frankie, my parents, Hope, Susie…" Maura trailed off, conjuring images of those she held closest to her in her mind. "But mainly you."

"Guess it's a good thing you've got years of seeing my face to remember me by," Jane said, unsure as to what else she could say to ease her friend's pain.

"I can remember your face and see it clearly in my mind now," Maura said as she continued to work the aches from Jane's backs. "But in a few weeks after not seeing it for so long? The details will become fuzzy and I am afraid I will forget what you look like. The way your eyebrows raise when you're skeptical of something, the way your hair is more wild than tame, the way your smile can make any worries I have go away. I don't want to forget, Jane."

"You'll get your vision back, Maura," Jane stated. "And then you'll see my face every day for the rest of our lives and never have to worry about forgetting it."

"What if I don't get it back?"

"Since when are you the pessimist and I'm the optimist?" Jane asked, feeling Maura's hands switch from massaging her muscles to simply tracing the contours of Jane's body.

"I'm being a realist," Maura said simply. "I have loved seeing your face for so many years, Jane," Maura said softly. "And now that we have crossed the line from friends to…to whatever it is we are now, I want to see your face in this new light. I want to see it again and again."

"Hey, whaddya mean 'whatever it is we are now?'" Jane said, slowly wiggling her body so she was on her back with Maura still kneeling above her. Jane took Maura's hands in her own and held them firmly. "Look at me," Jane said gently.

"Jane, I can't see you," Maura said, her head turned so Jane could only see her profile.

"Please, Maura," Jane asked. "Look at me," she repeated. Maura turned her head to look down at Jane who was below her. Her eyes were covered with gauze but Jane was satisfied.

"What?" Maura asked softly.

"I have a pretty crappy relationship record," Jane admitted. "Sometimes emotions confuse me and I push people away when they try to get close to me. I can't tell someone I love them unless I absolutely mean it and sometimes that gives people the wrong impression. But Maura…I care about you so much. I care about you as a friend and as a woman and co-worker and human being and so much more."

"I care about you, too," Maura managed to reply, tears obviously causing her throat to constrict.

"I feel like shit that you didn't know where we are in our relationship," Jane said, tugging lightly on Maura's hands. Maura allowed Jane to pull her down so their intertwined hands were resting on opposite sides of Jane's head on the pillow and Jane was able to speak directly into Maura's ear. "Be my girlfriend?" Jane asked, her breath tickling Maura's ear and causing a shiver to run down the medical examiner's spine.

"Yes," Maura said, nodding her head excitedly.

Before Jane could respond, Maura had captured her lips in a fierce kiss. Jane laughed against Maura's lips which only caused Maura herself to laugh, a glorious laugh that Jane was worried she might never hear come from the honey blonde again.

"Let me take you out," Jane said as she squeezed Maura's hands gently. "On a date," Jane specified.

"I would love that," Maura smiled as she pulled her hands from Jane's and climbed off her girlfriend to snuggle up next to her on the bed, the skin to skin contact sending shocks through her.

"Let's do it Saturday," Jane suggested as she wrapped an arm around Maura and began to run her fingers through Maura's soft hair. "Tomorrow is Friday, which I guess is a typical date night, but I'm gonna need some time to think of the perfect first date idea."

"Saturday sounds lovely," Maura smiled as she nuzzled her face against Jane's neck.

"It's gonna be the best date of your life," Jane said proudly as she reached her arm out to switch off the bedside lamp.

"Best date of _our_ lives," Maura corrected.

* * *

**Not as long as the previous chapter but I like it!**

**One of my biggest fears is that my father is going to forget what I look like. Or that he has already forgotten. He hasn't seen my face in over 4 years. He and I have never had that conversation but I can imagine that one of his fears is forgetting what my siblings, mom, and our other family members look like. I guess having Jane and Maura talk about that was wishful thinking for my dad and I. hah.**

**Anyone have any suggestions for what Jane should plan for her date with Maura?**

**Also! I did this for other stories I've written so I figured I'd do it for this one! The person who leaves the 100th review will get a one-shot written for them based on whatever prompt they give me. It can be a single word, a sentence, a plot idea, a song, or anything. It can be fluffy or smutty or whatever.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Haven't gotten many reviews for the last chapter I posted but that doesn't mean I'll withhold a new chapter. Not how I roll.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Maura," Jane groaned as she felt Maura shaking her shoulder the next morning. "I was enjoying some of that REM sleep you're always demanding I get and that is really hard to do when you're shaking me."

"I'm sorry," Maura said as she placed soft kiss against the corner of Jane's lips. "But I just realized that you have been here since Wednesday night and that Jo Friday has probably wrecked your apartment," Maura said as she sat upright and tugged on Jane's hand. "We should go check on the poor girl."

"She hasn't destroyed my apartment," Jane muttered as she tugged back on Maura's hand, trying to get her to resume her position snuggling next to her.

"How do you know, Jane?" Maura said. "She is a small dog who has been cooped up in a small apartment for over 24 hours. Even if she hasn't destroyed your apartment, surely she has relieved her bladder on more than one surface in your place."

"I know because Jo is with her Uncle Korsak," Jane sighed as she continued to tug on Maura's hand. "When I went to the station yesterday I asked Korsak to swing by my place and bring her to his place so she wouldn't be alone. I didn't wanna bring her here cause she's a hurricane of a puppy and I didn't wanna have you trip over her."

"I have yet to trip over Bass," Maura stated.

"That's because Bass doesn't jump at your feet, run in circles around you, or flop down in front of you while you're walking. I'm not even sure Bass moves," Jane replied. "Now please lay back down and snuggle?"

Maura laughed at the whiney tone Jane used and laid back down next to the sleepy detective who immediately wrapped her arms around Maura and pulled her as close as possible.

"I wonder what would happen if I were to let it slip how much Detective Jane Rizzoli loves to cuddle," Maura laughed as Jane nuzzled her face into Maura's neck.

"You wouldn't dare," Jane nearly growled.

"How do you know?" Maura countered, enjoying the banter she and Jane could enjoy.

Jane pulled her face away from Maura's neck and lifted her head a bit to look down at Maura, a smug smile on the blonde's face.

"I know you can't see me right now, but I am giving you a major stink eye right now," Jane said, trying to sound intimidating but failing when she saw Maura raise an eyebrow. "You're really cute, ya know that?" Jane laughed as she laid her head back down on the pillow and nuzzled Maura's neck again.

"I don't remember the last time someone called me 'cute,'" Maura thought aloud as she laughed at the tickling sensation Jane's eyelashes caused on her neck.

"Impossible," Jane murmured.

"I have been called beautiful, sexy, hot, luscious, and many other adjectives like them. But cute is not the word many people use to describe me. Especially when I am lying in bed with them in nothing but silk pants and a bra," Maura stated with a laugh.

"I mean, you are totally all of those other words," Jane smiled as she began to trace patterns on Maura's bare stomach, tracing along the bottom of Maura's bra and back down to and around her belly button. "But you're lots of other things, too."

"I suppose of being 'the hot Doctor Isles,' I will now be known as 'the blind Doctor Isles," Maura said softly. "Never thought that would happen."

"Hey, hey, hey," Jane said as she trailed a finger up from Maura's navel and between her bra-clad breasts before cupping Maura's face softly with her hand. "You know that I totally believe you're gonna get your sight back," Jane said softly as she used her free hand to gently pull the gauze patches from Maura's eyes. "But if my intestines are wrong—which they usually aren't—then I will smack anyone who ever calls you 'the blind Doctor Isles.' You are so much more than that, Maura."

"Am I, though?" Maura asked, hating herself for sounding so self-conscious and whiney but unable to stop her doubts from tumbling from her mouth.

"Alright," Jane said as she turned to angle her body more towards Maura. She knew Maura couldn't see her but when Maura turned her head to look in Jane's direction and their faces were just inches apart, Jane smiled. "Here is what we are gonna do. Every time you say something bad about yourself or say something that might suggest you are not the wonderful, inspiring, compassion, fierce woman I know you are, I'm gonna charge you."

"And what are you going to charge me?" Maura asked, a soft smile gracing her lips despite her self-doubt.

"A quarter," Jane said as she traced her thumb over Maura's lips.

"And if I don't have any change on me?"

"Hmmm," Jane said, pretending to be deep in thought. "I guess 5 kisses will work as payment," she finally said with a grin. Maura quirked up an eyebrow when Jane said that and Jane couldn't help but laugh. "And since I'm the rule maker of this little arrangement, I think you owe me 5 kisses for asking me if you really are more than just 'the blind Doctor Isles.'"

"Oh, really?" Maura asked.

"Yep," Jane smiled. "So pay up, doc."

Shaking her head, Maura slowly leaned towards Jane, uncertain as to where exactly the detective was in relation to her.

"One," Maura murmured as she placed a soft kiss the side of Jane's jaw. "Two," she said after dragging her nose up Jane's jaw to guide her to just below Jane's earlobe where she pressed her lips. "Three," she whispered before kissing Jane's cheek. "Four," Maura said as she grasped one of Jane's hands and brought it to her lips, placing a kiss to the scar tissue at the center of the palm. "And, five," Maura said as she pecked the tip of Jane's nose.

"Not cool, Maura," Jane laughed at Maura's teasing. "Borderline evil, actually."

"I'm sorry," Maura teased. "Did you want me to kiss you somewhere else?"

"Mauraaaa," Jane said in a childish tone.

Still smiling, Maura placed her hand at the back of Jane's neck and wove her fingers in brunette curls, pulling Jane toward her and kissing her softly. Without breaking the kiss, Jane scooted closer to Maura. To her girlfriend. When Maura felt their bra covered breasts brush against each other, she opened her mouth slightly and traced Jane's bottom lip with her tongue. They had an unspoken agreement to take things slowly but Maura's desire to leave Jane breathless was growing.

Feeling Maura's tongue on her bottom lip, Jane opened her mouth a bit more to deepen the kiss and let Maura know she was more than okay with what Maura clearly wanted to do. Upon feeling Jane's lips part, Maura slipped her tongue into Jane's mouth. They kissed for a few moments longer before Maura pulled away, recognizing the desire growing within her and forcing herself to pull away.

"You are a damn good kisser," Jane complimented as she traced the shoulder straps of Maura's bra lightly.

"Right back at ya."

* * *

Later that night Jane found herself sitting on Maura's couch with her mother while Maura showered.

"How is Maura doing?" Angela asked as she watched Jane pick at the label of her beer bottle absentmindedly.

"I think as good as she can be given the circumstances," Jane sighed as she sipped her drink. "I know I wouldn't be as collected as she, that's for sure," Jane added. "I mean, she's struggling with certain aspects of being blind. She feels like she's never gonna get it back and without the title of medical examiner, she'll just become 'the blind Doctor Isles.'"

"And you told her how she'll never be just some blind doctor, right, Janie?" Angela inquired.

"Of course, ma," Jane smiled as she remembered telling Maura she would either have to pay her a quarter or give her 5 kisses if she belittled herself. "Last night she told me that one of the things she is most scared of is forgetting what I look like," Jane said sadly.

"Oh, sweetie," Angela said as she saw the glassy look of Jane's eyes as she tried to hold back tears. "Come here," she added as she opened her arms and beckoned her daughter into her embrace.

"I can't help her, ma," Jane admitted, letting a tear fall from her eye as she finally allowed herself to process what Maura's blindness meant for her. "I can put silly rhinestones on things and stuff but medically, I'm totally helpless. If it were possible I would sign up to have my vision given to her so she could have her sense back."

"I know you would, sweetheart," Angela sighed as she felt her daughter relax her head on her shoulder and watched Jane wipe tears from her face. "Do you remember when you were 8 years old and Frankie broke his arm?"

"And how I thought that if I broke my own arm, his would magically heal?" Jane reminisced.

"I came home from work to find your father asleep and you beating your arm against the arm of the couch, trying to break your arm to take away Frankie's pain," Angela said as both Rizzoli women laughed at the image of an 8 year old Jane trying to break her arm. "You've always been the type of person who would do anything for those you love, even if it meant you getting the short end of the stick. It's something that makes me so proud."

"What am I gonna do, ma?"

"You're gonna take that woman on the best date of her life tomorrow," Angela smiled, giving Jane's shoulder a squeeze. "And then you're gonna tell everyone at Sunday dinner how you two are finally together. And then you will continue to woo her because you know how I want a doctor in the family and in between wooing her you will work to make her life as accessible as possible until she gets her sight back."

Jane laughed at her mother's mention of wanting a doctor in the family and she sat back up, wiping her eyes one last time before kissing her mother on the cheek.

"Thanks, ma," Jane smiled. "I told Maura it would be the best date of her life but I honestly have no idea what we're gonna do. Museums are kind of out of the question since she can't see the art and a lot of museums don't let you touch the exhibits. Plays don't seem like a good idea but there is some fancy opera guy performing tomorrow night."

"What about the Boston Symphony Spring Concert Series?" Angela asked. "I got a flyer in the mail a few weeks ago and I think they've got an outdoor concert tomorrow. Let me go grab the flyer," Angela smiled as she scurried off to the guest house, returning a minute later with a brochure. "Well, tomorrow's concert is a Disney theme so-"

"Really?" Jane asked, smiling as she grabbed the brochure from her mother's hands. "I promised Maura I would introduce here to all the Disney movies that Frankie, Tommy, and I watched as kids. So far we watched The Lion King yesterday and earlier today we had a double feature of The Little Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty. Snow White and Cinderella are up next," Jane explained.

"Well, then I suggest you call the symphony right now and see if there are still seats available," Angela replied as she saw her daughter's excitement. "And maybe see if that Italian place near the amphitheater can take a reservation while you're at it."

"You're the best , ma!" Jane smiled as she grabbed her cellphone and stood up. "I'm gonna go into the guest house in case Maura comes down. I want tomorrow to be a surprise."

* * *

After spending a lazy day watching Disney movies with Maura trying to get clues from Jane about their date every spare moment, Jane was pulling on her boots next to the front door.

"What time will you be coming back?" Maura asked as she slowly poured herself a glass of water.

"Dinner reservation is for 5 o'clock so I'll be here around 4:30," Jane smiled as she walked to her girlfriend.

"What should I wear?" Maura asked. "Should I go formal or more casual?"

"Uh," Jane said, not entirely sure what her response should be. "I'd go…What's the phrase? Snazzy casual?"

"Snappy casual," Maura corrected.

"Yes, that," Jane nodded. "Snappy casual should be perfect."

"I will be ready at 4:30, then," Maura smiled as she felt Jane kiss her cheek before her felt Jane's presence leave.

"Get excited!" Jane said as she opened Maura's front door. "It's gonna be fun!" she added just before shutting the door and heading to her car. She planned to run a few errands before heading back to her own apartment to shower and get dressed.

After Jane left, Maura's excitement for her date continued throughout her shower as she hummed along to the music coming from her radio. She smiled as she stepped from the shower and pulled her robe on but the moment she stepped into her bedroom and walked to the closet, a wave of emotions hit and she had to steady herself by placing a hand on the doorframe to her closet.

Once steadying herself, she stepped into the closet and reached a hand to her right to feel the soft fabric of the dresses she loved before extending her left hand to brush the blazers that had grown on her. She occasionally let her fingers linger on a particular article of clothing, trying to decipher which item it was based on feel alone. When she found herself unable to identify as many articles as she would have liked, tears formed in her eyes.

Clothing had been her solace. When her parents became too busy to notice her, Maura would wear something new in hopes they would tell her that she looked nice or even just look at her. When peers began to tease her in college for her personality, Maura would come to the next class dressed elegantly to give an air of confidence. When the horrors of her job began to bog her down, Maura found solace in the beauty of clothing.

But that was now gone.

"Jane," Maura breathed, needing to hear the calm voice that could always ease her pain as panic rose in her body.

Maura began to walk quickly to her dresser where her phone sat, stumbling once over her feet in her rush to reach her phone. Sliding it unlocked, Maura managed to tap the screen in the appropriate places to call Jane, having done it countless times before.

"Miss me already, Maura?" Jane said when she picked up the phone and Maura could hear the smile in the detective's voice. "Maura?" Jane repeated when Maura didn't reply.

"Jane," Maura said, tears falling from her eyes.

"Are you crying, Maura?" Jane asked. She has just turned the shower on and had taken her shirt off but at the sound of a crying Maura, Jane didn't care about a shower.

"Do we have to go out tonight?" Maura asked, the words leaving her mouth before she had a chance to think about what Jane's reaction might be.

"What?" Jane asked, freezing all activity as Maura asked her question.

"Why can't we just stay inside and watch another movie? Curl up in our pajamas and order take-out and then go to sleep early?"

"Maura," Jane said, suddenly feeling hurt at the fact that Maura did not want to go out with her anymore. "If you didn't wanna go out with me you should have just said that in the first place," Jane stated as she turned to look in the mirror. Was she really that bad that Maura would rather stay inside than go out?

"What?" Maura asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she processed what Jane had just said. "Jane!" she exclaimed when she realized that what she had said had been misconstrued by Jane. "Oh, Jane, no," she said, trying to sooth Jane over the phone. "That isn't what I meant. That isn't what I meant at all, sweetie."

"Then what did you mean?" Jane asked, still feeling pangs of doubt in her gut.

"I don't know what I am going to wear," Maura said softly. "I walked into my closet and I felt as though I had been slapped violently across the face because I may never see any of my clothing again. And that sounds horrible and vain," Maura continued, sitting down on the edge of her bed, "but you know how important clothing is to me. How it is more than about looking nice."

"I do," Jane said softly. "But you know that whatever you wear is going to look stunning."

"What if I put on a black skirt and navy top?" Maura asked. "You would tell me I look nice but everyone knows that black and navy should never be combined."

"Yeah, everyone knows that…" Jane said with a soft laugh.

"I want to look beautiful, Jane," Maura said softly. "For you."

"Tell ya what," Jane began. "My ma always wanted a daughter she could play dress-up with before dates. How about I give her a call and ask her to help you pick out your outfit and do whatever it is normal girls do before a date."

"Do you think she would do that?" Maura asked hopefully.

"I know she will," Jane smiled. "Plus she knows the plan for tonight so she'll make sure you look perfect. And then she'll be there when I arrive to take photos of us like we're high school kids going to prom or something."

"That sounds lovely," Maura said with a smile. "Thank you, Jane," she added.

"No problem. I'll call her right now," Jane said.

"Jane?" Maura said quickly, hoping Jane wasn't planning on hanging up.

"Yeah?"

"I could never be ashamed to be seen with you," Maura stated, touching on one of Jane's biggest fears. "You are a phenomenal woman who I am so honored to call mine. Please don't ever doubt that."

"I'll try," Jane whispered. "See you in a little bit," she added, waiting for Maura to say her own goodbye before hanging up and dialing her mother.

* * *

**Thoughts? Suggestions? Anything?**

**I wanted to at least touch on how Jane must be feeling about Maura's vision loss because when my dad lost his vision, no one ever asked me what it was like to have my father suddenly lose his sight. And not talking about my fears and sadness really sucked so I wanted to have at least a short conversation where Jane could let out a bit of her fears.**

**I am trying to find that balance between angst and fluffier stuff and that is proving to be tough. But I hope you all are still enjoying the story!**

**Reviews are lovely!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, all! I'm so glad you all are enjoying the story so far!**

**This chapter is kind of shorter but I'm already working on the next one!**

**Onwards and upwards!**

* * *

At 4:29pm, Jane let herself in Maura's house, both eager and nervous to see the blonde. She knew Maura did not mean to make her doubt her worthiness but the twinges of doubt that Jane had worked to keep at bay surprised her with their strength.

"Hey, ma," Jane said as she saw her mother in the kitchen filling a tea kettle.

"Oh, Janie," Angela grinned as she turned the tap off and moved to stand in front of her daughter. "You look so lovely," she stated.

"Thanks, ma," Jane smiled as she brushed an imaginary piece of lint off her black slacks. They were similar to the ones she often wore to work yet fit her a bit better and were more fashionable. She had paired it with a shirt Maura had once picked out for her—an emerald green silk blouse. "I thought about wearing a dress but since we got lawn seats at the amphitheater and I have no idea how to sit in a dress on a chair, let alone the grass, I figured this was safer. Do I clash with Maura?"

"Not at all," Angela said, noticing a box in Jane's hands. "Is that for Maura?" Angela asked, nodding to the item in her daughter's hands.

"Yeah," Jane said. "Flowers didn't seem special enough so I got here this," Jane added as she opened the box and showed her mother the photo frame she had placed her and Maura's photo from the other day in. "I know she can't see the photo right now so I was thinking of telling her that she can't open the gift until she gets her sight back. A little incentive, yeah?" she added with a laugh.

"I'm so proud of you," Angela managed to say as she heard her daughter speak. "You're such a great kid, Janie. So loving and thoughtful. I'm damn proud of you."

"Thank you, ma," Jane said as she shut the gift box and gave her mother a smile. "How's Maura?" Jane asked, eager to see if Maura's anxiety had been calmed by Angela.

"She is doing better," Angela replied. "It took a little while to calm her down and snap her out of her funk," she admitted sadly. "But after a little bit of a pep talk she perked right up and we had a lovely time laughing and picking out a lovely outfit. She even let me help her do her hair and make-up," Angela gushed. "She should be down soon. She was just putting her shoes on and some perfume when I came down to make some tea."

"Thank you so much for doing that," Jane thanked her mother. "When she called me crying saying she didn't want to go out tonight I thought she meant she never wanted to go out with me. Then-"

"I'm sorry for that," came Maura's voice as she stood at the bottom of her stairwell near where Jane and Angela were talking. When Jane heard Maura's voice, she spun around and immediately felt her mouth open.

"Wow," Jane breathed as she looked at Maura. She had on a soft yellow sundress, with embellishments on the bust that slowly faded out to a skirt that hit just above Maura's knees. She wore a pair of black heels that matched the dark necklace she also wore. Her hair was pulled to one side in a ponytail with a brooch attached to the hair tie.

"Do I look okay?" Maura asked softly, smoothing a hand over her dress.

"You look stunning," Jane admitted as she walked to Maura and put her hands on Maura's hips, oblivious to the way Angela was watching them with a large smile on her face. "Ravishing, actually," Jane whispered in Maura's ear, causing the doctor to laugh.

"Your mother was incredible," Maura smiled as she acknowledged Angela's help. "She is letting me wear this brooch in my hair," Maura said as she turned her head so Jane could see the golden butterfly brooch embellished with jewels.

"It belonged to Jane's grandmother," Angela said from her place in the kitchen. "She wore it on her first date with Jane's grandfather and I wore it on my first date with Jane's father," Angela continued.

"Ma tried to get me wear it when I went on my first date but I ran outta her grasp so far," Jane laughed. "I'm sure she's glad it is finally being put to use."

"I'm gonna run and grab my camera!" Angela said excitedly as she saw the two women standing face to face, smiles on both of their faces.

"Told ya she'd do that," Jane laughed as she watched Angela exit the main house out of the corner of her eye.

"Jane," Maura said gently as she placed her own hands on Jane's hips. "I really am sorry for saying we shouldn't go out tonight. I was overcome with emotions and didn't think before I spoke."

"It's fine, Maura," Jane replied. "You're allowed to stay things without thinking every once in a while. Lord knows I do."

"Yes, but saying things without thinking that cause you to doubt how much I care for you and how proud I am to be with you should never be allowed. You are amazing, Jane, and I never want you to doubt that. Or else I will start charging you a quarter every time you do," Maura laughed.

Not sure how to respond, Jane simply captured Maura's lips in a soft kiss, hoping that would communicate the words she couldn't. The tell-tale click of a camera caused them to pull apart and turn towards where Angela now stood.

"Really, ma?" Jane half groaned, half laughed.

"I think it's sweet," Angela said as she reviewed the photo she had taken of the women. "Something to show my grandbabies when you tell the story of your first date."

"Okie dokie," Jane sighed as she took Maura's hand in her own and grabbed Maura's gift from the counter. "You mention grandbabies and that is our cue to leave."

"Goodbye, Angela," Maura laughed as Jane guided her to her front door and quickly shut it behind them.

"Sorry about ma," Jane laughed as she helped Maura into the light jacket she had grabbed from the rack next to Maura's front door.

"It's endearing," Maura said.

"Sure," Jane laughed. "Oh! I, uh, watched a few YouTube videos that people have made for the correct way to guide someone who is visually impaired," Jane said nervously as she grabbed her keys from her pocket and clicked the unlock button for her car. "Do you wanna try? If it's easier for me to just hold your hand we can go back but all the doctors and stuff suggest this way."

"Let's try it," Maura said confidently.

"Alright," Jane said, smiling at Maura's confidence. "If I understand everything correctly, I walk to the side of you but half a step in front and you hold on to my elbow," Jane said, moving to stand a bit in front of Maura and bending her arm so her elbow could be grasped by Maura.

"Like this?" Maura asked, grasping Jane's elbow.

"Yeah," Jane replied. "This works because if I slow down or have to move to the side to avoid something, you can feel me move and do the same. I think. Wanna try walking to the car?"

"Yes," Maura said, smiling as she felt Jane take a few steps forward and realizing that she was following her with ease. When Jane veered a bit to the left to guide Maura to the passenger side of her car, Maura sensed the change of direction and confidently walked with Jane as her sighted guide until they reached the car and Jane opened the door. "That was nice," Maura said as she kissed Jane's cheek before entering the car.

Jane just smiled as she shut Maura's door and jogged to the driver's side, climbing in and starting the car, eager to get to the restaurant.

"You smell very nice, by the way," Maura complimented Jane.

"Still not telling you the plan," Jane laughed. "But thank you. I used some of that lotion you got me with the citrus and ginger scent. I figured if you bought it for me then you liked it."

"I do," Maura replied as she tried to focus on the route Jane was taking without the use of her sight. She found herself unable to but didn't seem to care as she and Jane talked about what they hoped Angela would make for Sunday dinner and their plans to go to the park on Monday if the spring weather continued without rain. Maura felt the car stop moving and hear Jane take the keys from the ignition.

"We have arrived," Jane stated. "But don't get outta the car!" she said quickly as she exited the car and went to Maura's side, opening the door for her and grasping Maura's hand to help her exit the car before resuming her position half a step in front of Maura to guide her into the restaurant.

"I can already smell it," Maura said as she inhaled deeply as Jane helped guide her towards the restaurant. "The herbs I smell lead me to believe that we are about to enter an Italian restaurant. Is that correct?"

"Yeah," Jane smiled as a well-dressed waiter opened the restaurant doors for the women, allowing them to walk into the reception area.

"Welcome to Pezzo di Cielo," the hostess warmly greeted the women as they approached her.

"Piece of Heaven," Maura smiled as she heard the name of the restaurant. It was a renowned Italian restaurant that she had heard of but never had anyone to go with.

"Hi," Jane greeted the hostess. "We've got a reservation for Jane Rizzoli."

"We actually just got your table ready," the woman smiled. "If you'd like to follow me I can take you to it," she added as she grabbed two menus and began to escort the two women to their table. Jane felt Maura squeeze her elbow gently before letting go when they reached the table and sat down. "Your waiter should be here in a moment to get you ladies started," she said before returning to her position at the front of the restaurant.

"It smells incredible," Maura said as she inhaled the aromas of the restaurant.

"The smells don't do the food any justice," Jane said as she eagerly began to peruse the menu. "This place is incredible. They make everything from scratch—the pasta, the dough for bread and pizza crush, cure their own meats. It's insane."

"Hello, ladies," a waiter said as he appeared next to their table. "I'm Ryan and I'll be helping you out tonight in any way I can. Your breadsticks will be out shortly so I can get you anything to drink before I go get those?"

"Maura here is the wine expert," Jane said, nodding her head in Maura's direction. "So direct all questions to her," Jane added. "And order whatever you think would be best, Maur."

Jane couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach when she saw the look of excitement on Maura's face as she turned her head to begin questioning the waiter on what wines they had available.

"Did you pick something good?" Jane asked when the waiter left a minute later, promising to return with breadsticks and the wine.

"They have one of my favorites," Maura smiled as she turned back to Jane's direction. "It is a sweet red that I think you will be quite fond of," she explained.

"If it's your favorite, I'm sure I'll love it," Jane said. "Now, what are you hungry for? Pasta, pizza, or something else?"

"What do you recommend?" Maura asked, wishing she could peruse the menu but refusing to allow sadness to take over her date.

"They've got a portabella mushroom ravioli that I've heard good things about," Jane smiled. "You can get it with any of their home made sauces and I know how much you love your fungus."

"You really should give mushrooms a try, Jane," Maura laughed as imagined the face Jane was making at her suggestion.

The waiter soon came to deliver their wine and breadsticks as well as take their order. Maura happily ordered the mushroom ravioli while Jane requested gnocchi. They laughed for most of the dinner, enjoying witty banter and telling stories of their friendship. Jane had just set her credit card down to pay when she picked up the gift box she had set on the empty chair next to her.

"I, uh, got you something," Jane said softly as she watched Maura take the last bite of their dessert.

"Jane," Maura said gently, setting her fork down and looking up at Jane. "You have already taken me out to a lovely dinner and given me the best date I've been on. You shouldn't have."

"Well, I did," Jane grinned. "And the date ain't over just because dinner is over," she added as she took one of Maura's hands that was sitting on the table and placed the box in Maura's palm.

"There's more to the date?" Maura asked, giddy with excitement as she imagined what she and Jane would be doing next.

"Yep," Jane confirmed. "Now open the gift."

Maura gingerly lifted the lid off of the box and reached into the box, pulling the photo frame out. She ran her fingers over the intricate detailing of the wood and along the back where the stand was that would prop the frame up.

"A photo frame?" Maura asked after she had felt the frame for a few more moments.

"Yeah," Jane said sheepishly. "I know you can't see the photo that I put in there," she began as she signed her name on the credit card receipt the waiter had just placed next to her, "but I think once you get your sight back that you'll love the photo."

"Which one is it?" Maura asked, trying to think of the possible photos she knew Jane deemed acceptable to be put on display.

"You'll just have to see for yourself when your vision comes back."

"Thank you, Jane," Maura smiled as she reached over the table to find Jane's hand, grasping it when she found it. "I can't wait to see the photo."

* * *

The two women passed through the venue security with ease since Maura only had a small purse and Jane carried only a blanket to sit with her wallet and keys in her pocket.

"Sorry we got lawn seats," Jane said as she guided Maura to an open patch of grass on the knoll just behind the actual seats to the outdoor amphitheater. "Last minute seating was pretty pricy and it sounds just as lovely out here as it does in the formal seating."

"This is perfect," Maura said as she let go of Jane's elbow so the detective could spread the blanket out. "I'm very excited to hear the Boston Symphony perform the music you have so graciously introduced me to," Maura laughed, remembering the bashful way Jane had told her they would be enjoying Disney music for their concert.

"Really?" Jane asked with a smile. "Or are you trying to use sarcasm?"

"I'm being serious, Jane," Maura smiled as she felt Jane take her hand and guide her to the blanket. Maura sat down, ensuring her dress remained covering her as she stretched her legs out in front of her and crossed her ankles. She expected that Jane would sit next to her and wrap an arm around her shoulder so when Jane sat behind her, legs open so Maura could be pulled flush against Jane's front, Maura smiled.

"This okay?" Jane asked, wrapping her arms around Maura's midsection and placing a soft kiss to the woman's neck.

"More than okay," Maura replied as she relaxed into Jane's arms and placed her own arms over Jane's.

The concert began and both Jane and Maura had smiles on their faces as they listened to some of the most iconic Disney songs from Snow White to the most recent one, Frozen. Maura would occasionally hum along if she could remember the tune and Jane would tap her fingers on Maura's midsection to the beat.

The conductor announced that the next song would be the last of the evening and Jane felt goose bumps form on her skin when 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' began to play.

After years of seeing her father tell her mother he loved her only to betray her and hating the way Casey disguised his manipulative personality with vows of love, Jane was hesitant to ever use the word love for anyone outside of her family.

Yet sitting on the hill with Maura in her arms, a smile on the blonde's face despite her inability to see, Jane felt as though her body would explode with the sheer force of her love for Maura.

"Hey, Maura?" Jane whispered, her lips brushing Maura's ear to ensure the medical examiner heard her over the symphony.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

* * *

**Jane said the three words! Yay!**

**The next chapter will maybe have some fun between our lovely ladies as well as feature Sunday dinner with the whole gang! After that we might have a little cameo from the lovely Constance Isles. Any other suggestions, feel free to throw them my way!**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter has a little bit of M in it but I'm hesitant to change the rating on the entire story so I'm just going to warn you right now that things get a little bit steamy.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The sound of Jane flipping the lock on her front door is the sound that broke Maura's resolve. From the moment Jane had told her she loved her and Maura said those words in return, she had been fighting the urge to touch Jane's bare body.

Since Maura still was holding on to Jane's hand, she tugged on the brunette's arm until Jane entered her personal space. Within a second, Maura had her body pressed against Jane's and was kissing her frantically. Her arms wrapped around Jane's neck while Jane wrapped hers around Maura's waist and desperately tried to pull her closer.

"Let's go upstairs," Maura whispered in Jane's ear, her breath coming in short gasps as desire threatened to overtake her brain.

Jane simply nodded her head and, when Maura made no effort to separate herself from Jane, slid her hands down to the back of Maura's thighs and lifted, groaning softly as Maura wrapped her legs around Jane. Miraculously Jane managed to walk them up the stairs and into Maura's bedroom without causing either of them harm. Jane laid Maura on the bed and sighed when she saw the sight before her.

"You are so gorgeous," Jane breathed as she knelt over Maura and bent down to take the brooch from her hair and let Maura's hair leave the ponytail it had been in. "It's almost unfair how gorgeous you are," Jane laughed as she traced the top of Maura's dress where her deep breaths caused her breasts to appeal to Jane ever more than before.

"You're one to talk," Maura smiled as she untucked Jane's blouse from her pants and began to quickly unbutton it, smiling when she pushed it off Jane's shoulders and was met with smooth skin and firm abs.

Jane closed her eyes and allowed herself to revel in the soft hands Maura was running over her stomach and just below her bra. But soon Maura's hands weren't enough. She wanted to touch Maura like she was touching Jane.

She crashed her lips against Maura's, grinning at the gasp of surprise that Maura let escape. Jane's hands searched the dress for a zipper, her heart skipping a beat when she felt it on the side of the dress and began to pull it down, eager to see Maura lying beneath her without it on. When she finished unzipping the zipper, Maura tugged her skirt up so Jane could pull her dress off completely, leaving her in just her nude colored bra and panties.

"You're overdressed, detective," Maura murmured as she felt around for Jane's belt and, once finding it, undid it quickly and began to unbutton Jane's slacks. Jane allowed Maura to push her slacks down as far as she could before standing up to quickly kick them off. As she stood, she was able to look at Maura's body fully: her face was flushed, her chest heaving, and her legs parted slightly in anticipation.

The gravity of the situation hit Jane like a bullet.

It wasn't the idea of finally being able to make love with Maura that hit Jane. It was the idea that she was finally going to make love with Maura while Maura couldn't see.

"Shit," Jane sighed aloud.

"Don't have a condom?" Maura joked, remembering that Jane had told her she often told men that she didn't have condoms if they got to her bedroom and she was not feeling up for sex.

"I can't do this, Maura," Jane said softly, hating herself for stopping her and Maura's actions.

"What?" Maura asked, pushing herself into a sitting position and trying to locate where Jane was. "Jane, that was a joke. Two women making love don't need a condom."

"I know that, Maura," Jane said with a soft laugh. "It's just…You're blind."

"Yes," Maura agreed. "That is not totally new information. And I can assure you that, even without my vision, I will be an exceptional lover," Maura stated.

"Oh, I have no doubts that you're gonna be great in bed," Jane laughed as she sat on the edge of the bed, her back to Maura.

"Then what's the matter?" Maura asked, rising to her knees and moving to kneel behind Jane, placing a soft hand on her shoulder. Jane reached up to cover Maura's hand with her own, giving it a soft squeeze.

"When we do this, I want you to be able to enjoy it fully," Jane whispered. "With all of your senses."

"Jane," Maura said softly. "I didn't need to see to enjoy the past few days with you fully so why is this any different?"

"I just…I dunno," Jane admitted.

Maura remained silent, knowing that Jane needed time to organize her thoughts before speaking them out loud, something she only did when she was embarrassed of her thoughts.

"I want you to see me come undone," Jane said so softly that Maura almost missed it. "I want you to see me oogling at your body because then you'll raise an eyebrow and give me that 'come hither,' look you have. I want you to see my hands on your body and see your hands on mine. I want you to appreciate my body like no one ever has and let me do the same to you…" Jane trailed off.

"Look at me, Jane," Maura commanded softly. When Jane turned her body to face Maura, the blonde pressed a soft kiss to Jane's lips. "If that is what you want, then I will respect your desires."

"Really?" Jane asked softly.

"Of course," Maura smiled. "But what if I don't get my eyesight back?" she asked, her smile falling. "I know you don't want to think that I will be blind forever but in case I am, are we going to be celibate forever?"

"A week," Jane said quickly. "If your eyesight isn't back in one week, then I will be all yours," she added in explanation.

"What time is it?" Maura asked with a smile.

Puzzled at Maura's seemingly random question, Jane looked at the alarm clock on Maura's bedside table. "It's 10:17," she told Maura.

"Next Saturday at exactly 10:17pm," Maura said, moving her head down to bite Jane's earlobe teasingly, "you are all mine."

* * *

Although Jane and Maura agreed that sex would wait until Maura got her sight back or the following Saturday, they spent the better part of their night kissing each other deeply while their hands studied each other's bodies with only soft undergarments covering them.

Jane's hands softly cupped Maura's breasts, running her fingers over the lace and feeling a pair of breasts other than her own for the first time as her tongue battled with Maura's in an epic duel.

Maura let her hands travel to grip Jane's ass, massaging the firm muscles that she found as Jane placed hot, open mouthed kisses down her neck.

They finally fell into a slumber, both with swollen and tingling lips and eagerly awaiting their date for the following Saturday.

Maura was the first to awake the next morning as usual yet when she opened her eyes, something was unusual.

"Jane," Maura said, shaking the shoulder of the sleeping woman next to her. "Jane, please wake up."

"I'm up," Jane groaned as she rubbed her eyes and turned to look at Maura. "What's wrong?"

"I can see!" Maura smiled.

"What?" Jane exclaimed, shooting up into a sitting position and grabbing Maura by the shoulders.

"Well, I can see silhouettes of certain things like the alarm clock and your body. Shadows only, no details, but that is an improvement, right?"

"Maura, that's amazing. A huge sign that you might get full sight back!" Jane said, laughing at Maura pressed her lips to Jane's quickly.

"I am going to call Dr. Gao," Maura said as she stood up next to the bed and stretched. "Let him know about the improvement. And then we are going to celebrate," she said with a smirk.

Jane laughed as Maura walked from her room, phone in hand as she went to call the ophthalmologist who was working on her case. Jane was thrilled at the thought that Maura might really get her vision back yet also felt fear rise up in her stomach. Before Jane had the ability to work through her fear or tell herself she was being ridiculous, Maura came back into the room.

"He was in with a client so I just left him a message," Maura said as she crawled back onto the bed and pulled Jane's body flush against hers. "I love you," Maura grinned as she kissed Jane softly.

"Mmm," Jane hummed as Maura's hands traced the tops of her breasts with feather light touches. "You're alright," she added with a shrug.

"Jane!" Maura gasped, using her other hand to pinch the side of Jane's stomach.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Jane laughed. "You know I love you. I am the one who said it first, right?"

"Yes," Maura smiled as she nuzzled against Jane. "Is it bad that I am not looking forward to Sunday dinner?" she murmured.

"Depends," Jane replied. "Are you not looking forward to it because you're sick of my crazy family or because you'd prefer to spend all day in bed with me?"

"The latter," Maura said with a smile.

"Maybe tomorrow," Jane suggested. "Ma will be at work so we won't have to worry about interruptions. Speaking of which, we should probably get up and ready. Since Korsak and Frost are coming, Ma is probably gonna start getting ready hours ahead of time because that's what she does. Plus it's supposed to be sunny so the Rizzoli Family Football League is gonna make its season debut, which means everyone else is gonna get here earlier, too."

"Sounds like today is going to be hectic," Maura smiled against Jane's neck, feeling the brunette's fingers run through her hair.

"Just another day in the Rizzoli family," Jane laughed. "Might wanna get used to it if you're gonna be my girlfriend," she teased as she sat up and stretched her arms over her head. "How about you hop in the shower first while I go figure out your coffee maker? That way by the time you're out of the shower, I've maybe figured out how to brew a cup for you."

* * *

Jane walked into Maura's house from the backyard, her breathing heavy as she walked right to the kitchen where she began to gulp down a glass of water.

"Gimme 20 minutes to recover and we'll start another game," Frankie groaned as he dragged himself into the house and plopped onto Maura's couch, his body sore from Jane's recent tackle.

"When are you gonna realize that I will always kick your ass, Frankie?" Jane laughed after finishing the entire glass in one go. "But if you wanna try again, I will gladly whop ya again!"

"You will do no such thing," Angela chided as she walked back into the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes so you two are going to clean up and be at the table in 9."

"Yes, ma," the two Rizzoli children grumbled. Jane began to wash her hands at the kitchen sink while Frankie meandered to the bathroom. Jane smiled as she watched Maura have an animated conversation with Cavanaugh, who had become a semi-regular at Sunday dinners. She stood at the sink, a smile on her face as she watched her girlfriend laugh at something the lieutenant said.

"Soooo," Frost said as he appeared next to Jane in the kitchen. "Whatcha lookin' at?" he teased.

"The eighth wonder of the world," Jane laughed as she began to dry her hands on a dish towel. "What?" she asked when she saw the smug look on Frost's face.

"I'm just trying to figure out which one of you ladies wears the strap on."

"Come on, Frost!" Jane groaned, smacking her partner's shoulder. "Why ya gotta think like that, man?"

"Jane, are you forgetting that I've got lesbian moms?" he laughed. "I'm totally used to talking about this sorta stuff."

"Yeah, well I'm not," Jane retorted. "Plus," she said as she turned away from Frost to look back at Maura, "we haven't actually had sex yet."

"Hold up," Frost said as he held a hand in the air. "You're trying to tell me that you and the doc have been in this house together since Wednesday night and you haven't done the deed?"

"That is what I'm telling you," Jane said. "Contrary to what you men might think, not all relationships have to have sex within the first 5 days."

"That's a shame," Frost said as he shook his head. "You and the doc coulda been having a heck of a lot more fun if you'd get it on."

"Pig," Jane laughed. "Besides, just cause we haven't had sex yet doesn't mean we haven't had some fun," she stated. "I just wanted to wait for her to get her sight back before taking that leap."

"How romantic," Frost teased, raising his voice an octave and batting his eyelashes.

"Ass," Jane muttered as she moved to grab a beer from the fridge.

"Hey," Frost said, putting a hand on Jane's arm as she held the fridge open. "You know I'm kidding. I'm glad you and the doc are together and that you're doing things at a pace that you're happy with. Really."

"Thanks, Frost," Jane said with a smile. "But I'm still not ever gonna tell you which one of us wears the strap on," she added with a laugh as she walked towards the dining room table.

* * *

"I've seen that look before," Korsak said as he stepped into the kitchen to refill his glass with water and saw Jane leaning with her back against the sink and biting her nails.

"Huh?" Jane asked, turning her head slowly to look at her former partner.

"I said that I've seen that look on your face before," Korsak repeated as he leaned against the counter across from Jane. "Something is bothering you."

"It's nothing," Jane said as she shook her head, hoping to erase the thoughts in her mind like an etch-a-sketch.

"Jane," Korsak said, raising his eyebrows to let her know that he wasn't buying her lie.

"Aw, what the heck," Jane said sarcastically. "You've already seen me begging for help with scalpels stuck through my hands, might as well let you see me weak another time."

"Jane," Korsak said again, this time softer as he saw the hurt in Jane's eyes. "You know I don't think you're weak."

"Maura got some of her sight back today," Jane said simply.

"She was talking about that at dinner. She can see shadows now. Which means that getting her vision back completely is looking like a real possibility," Korsak stated. "What's that gotta do with you being weak?"

"I'm scared that she's gonna get her vision back and realize that I'm still me and that she can do better," Jane said, keeping her eyes lowered to the floor. She knew if she made eye contact with her former partner then the tears would appear.

"What do you mean that you're still you?" Korsak asked, baffled as to how Jane could be thinking like this. He knew that she struggled with doubt but never had he ever seen her like this.

"That she can do so much better than me," Jane said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She's gonna get her sight back and realize that she only thought she loved me. That she was just in a raw emotional state and needed someone to care for her and that her brain tricked her into thinking I was good enough."

"You and I both know that you're talking crazy right now," Korsak said, his heart breaking as he saw his former partner thinking so little of herself. "Maura loves you and I'm pretty sure she has for a while. Sure, her losing her vision was what pushed her into your arms but she would have ended up in your arms even with her sight."

"I dunno," Jane said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Oh, Jane," Korsak breathed.

"Don't 'oh, Jane' me, Korsak," Jane said, snapping her head up to look into his eyes. "You know that I'm telling the truth. Maura is incredible in so many ways and the minute she gets her vision back she is going to come to her senses and realize that this has all just been her emotions getting the best of her and that I'm not good enough."

A flurry of movement that was the same color of Maura's dress caught Jane's attention. She turned her head to see Maura walking quickly away from the kitchen, a hand over her mouth.

"Shit," Jane said, clenching her eyes shut and wishing she had noticed Maura was listening to her rant to Korsak. "I suck," she muttered.

"Go find her," Korsak said softly. "Get your fears out in the open and let her tell you herself that you're being ridiculous."

"I can't," Jane said. "I mean, she just heard my fears and went running off."

"No," Korsak correct. "She heard you saying that you think she's just being too emotional, that she is vain enough to leave a woman she's known for years for someone she isn't nearly as close to, and that she isn't thinking right."

"Damn it," Jane said, realizing how her rant must have sounded to Maura. "Did you see which way she went?"

Before Korsak could reply, a crash came from upstairs followed by a strangled sob.

"Maura!" Jane called, immediately darting from the kitchen and towards the stairs, taking them two at a time until she reached the top landing. "Maura?" she called again, listening for any sounds. She heard someone moving in Maura's home office and jogged to the door, opening it quickly to see Maura sitting on the floor rubbing at her shoulder, pain obvious on her face.

Jane was kneeling at her side in seconds, reaching out to place a gentle touch to Maura's arm.

"Don't touch me," Maura said, pulling her arm away from Jane, a soft cry of pain leaving her lips as she moved her shoulder.

"I am so sorry, Maura," Jane said sincerely. "Please don't hate me."

"Why did you say those things, Jane?" Maura asked, still not looking in Jane's direction. "About me not really loving you and only acting the way I've been acting because I'm in a raw emotional state?"

"Because I'm a giant idiot," Jane confessed. "And I have this habit of getting close to people and then doubting myself which pushes them away," she added.

"I have cared about you as more than a friend for quite some time, Jane," Maura said as she turned to face where Jane was sitting. "I know so many things about you and you know so many things about me that entering a romantic relationship seemed to be inevitable. Losing my vision was the action that set of a Rube-Goldberg machine that has been in the making for years."

"I love you so much, Maura," was all Jane could say.

"How can I make you believe that I love you just as much as you love me?" Maura questioned, desperate to understand how she could help her love realize that she was serious.

"Let me look at your shoulder and make sure it's not in need of medical attention?" Jane questioned softly.

"What else?" Maura asked, taking her hand from her sore shoulder and turning her body so Jane had access to the injured part of her body.

"I dunno," Jane sighed as she placed a gentle kiss to Maura's shoulder after seeing that it looked as though her joints were still in place.

"Well, when you figure out, let me know," Maura said softly. "Until then, I will be charging you 25 cents every time you doubt yourself or my love for you."

"And if I don't have 25 cents?" Jane inquired, a soft smile on her lips.

"I suppose 5 kisses will suffice."

* * *

**I know some of you want smutty time between Jane and Maura and might be disappointed that they stopped but I promise you that we will get smutty times.**

**I am aware that Jane might seem a bit whiney/out of character while talking with Korsak but I really wanted to have them have a discussion. Korsak saw Jane at her weakest when Hoyt stabbed her hands and, although Jane hates that he saw that, I feel that they share a special bond because of that.**

**I will be going out of town tomorrow in the late morning (around 11am) and will be away until Saturday night because my sister is graduating with her Master's degree so my family is going to drive to see her ceremony. I don't think I will bring my laptop since I'm not sure if the hotel has free WiFi so if I don't update until Sunday evening or Monday, don't freak out!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Not a chapter that I'm fond of for some reason but oh well.**

**Here we go!**

* * *

"Are you okay, Maura?" Angela asked rushing over to Maura when she and Jane appeared in the living room, their hands joined firmly. "I heard a crash from upstairs but Vince told me Jane was with you and I shouldn't crowd you. Are you okay, dear?"

"I'm fine, Angela," Maura confirmed as she sat down on the couch. "I tripped in my home office and bruised my shoulder muscle, I believe."

"Ice pack or heat?" Jane asked, not sure which would be appropriate in this situation for Maura's injury.

"Ice pack for now," Maura said as she looked up at Jane with soft eyes. "The heating pad I will use later once any inflammation has gone down."

Nodding, Jane went into Maura's kitchen and pulled an ice pack from Maura's freezer, meeting Korsak's eyes as he and Sean helped finish washing the dishes that didn't fit into the dishwasher.

"Everything okay?" he asked gently.

"They will be," Jane replied as she grabbed a dishtowel to wrap the ice pack in and walked back to the living room and sat down next to Maura. "I'll let you hold the ice pack to your shoulder," Jane said softly, avoiding Maura's gaze as she placed the cloth covered wrap in Maura's hand. She hadn't said anything but Maura knew to read between the lines. _I don't want to hurt you._

"Thank you," Maura said as she leaned over to place a kiss to Jane's cheek, trying to silently reassure the detective. _Please don't beat yourself up. I love you._

Angela began to ask Maura to tell her all about the date she and Jane had been on the previous night, gushing over how happy she was that her help with Maura's outfit was appreciated. Maura began to tell Angela about her and Jane's plan to have a picnic at a small park the next day and Angela began to tell Maura stories of picnics with the Rizzoli family from years past.

Jane sat rather silently, rolling her eyes or offering a comment or memory at the expected times but everyone could tell she was in her own person headspace miles away. The chatter finally slowed down and Angela announced she would be heading to the guest house to watch her favorite show, cuing everyone else to get up and leave as well.

After saying the proper goodbyes and promising to visit the station, Jane and Maura closed the front door and both sighed, thankful to finally be alone.

"Let's go to bed," Maura said as she reached for Jane's hand and laced their fingers together. Jane simply nodded and allowed Maura to slowly guide them to her bedroom. While some people would be unsettled by Jane's silence, Maura knew it was her way of sorting through her thoughts and arranging them in an organized manner.

Maura sat Jane down on the edge of the bed, kissing the crown of her head before pulling her dress over her head and draping it over the chair at her vanity. She turned back to face Jane and saw Jane's shadow had moved from sitting to standing, which Maura assumed meant Jane was also pulling her clothes off. Jane's shadow moved to a horizontal position on the bed and Maura walked to her side of the bed.

Maura lifted the covers and slid under them, turning to face Jane.

"What are you doing?" Maura asked when Jane reached for Maura to wrap her arms around the blonde's midsection.

"Um, getting ready to sleep?" Jane asked, unsure what Maura meant with her question.

"Turn around."

"What?"

"Turn around," Maura repeated. "After today do you really think you don't deserve a turn at being little spoon?"

"I dunno," Jane said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Roll over and I will be your big spoon," Maura said, her voice soft yet forceful.

Jane slowly rolled over and curled her body up, her tense body relaxing for the first time since Maura's fall when she felt Maura drape an arm over her middle and pull their bodies flush against each other.

"I love you," Maura whispered in Jane's ear.

"I love you, too," Jane replied.

"I love your sarcasm and sass," Maura said with a smile, "but how underneath that you're a big softie." She placed a kiss to Jane's shoulder blade and continued before Jane could interrupt. "I love your dedication to fighting bad guys and how you believe that the extra pickles and light lettuce on your burgers counts as a serving of greens. I love the way you call Bass a turtle and I love your scars," Maura continued as she found one of Jane's hands and rubbed the scar tissue at the center. "I love your hair and your smile and the way your nose scrunches up when I even mention the word kale," Maura said, pausing before adding something else. "You just scrunched your nose up, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Jane said with a gentle laugh.

"I could go on for hours but most of all, Jane, I love that you love me. That you have opened your home and your family and finally your heart to me. I love you, Jane Rizzoli, and I won't ever let you doubt that."

* * *

After a lazy morning in bed where Maura refused to let Jane be big spoon, the two women found themselves entering a small deli where they would pick out a lunch to bring with them to the park where they planned to sit in the spring sun for a picnic.

Both women had on dark jeans, though Jane wore a Red Sox t-shirt while Maura wore a lavender short sleeved silk blouse. Jane guided Maura into the deli, Maura holding lightly onto Jane's elbow as they maneuvered to the glass case where food was on display.

"They don't have kale," Jane said as she stood with Maura and perused the case. "But they do have a Greek salad that looks good as well as a Caesar. Or did you wanna get a sandwich?"

"A Greek salad sounds lovely," Maura smiled. "And I'll be sure to buy kale when we go to the grocery store to make up for not having it today," she added, imagining the face Jane was making at the thought.

"Oh, I just can't wait," Jane said as she began to move to the counter with Maura where an older gentleman stood with a smile on his face. "Guess that means I'll have to load up on the unhealthy stuff right now."

"Hi, ladies," the man greeted before Maura could chide Jane. "What'll it be?"

"Can we get a Greek salad and the Italian sub on wheat? And two bottles of water?" Jane asked the man, making a move to get her wallet but stopping when Maura placed a hand on her forearm.

"Let me get it," Maura said softly as she reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet, running her fingers over her credit cards before pulling one out and handing it to the man. "I keep them in a specific order so I can grab them in dark areas if needed," she said with a grin as she felt Jane staring at her.

"Ya know, polarized lenses might be a better option for you," the man said as he swiped Maura's card before handing it back to her.

"Pardon?" Maura asked, sliding her credit card back into the appropriate place.

"Oh, I just saw the way your friend was guiding you and thought you might be visually impaired," the man said. "So I suggested Ppolarized lenses for your sunglasses," he said as he pointed to the designer glasses Maura has pushed onto the top of her head upon entrance into the deli. "They aren't as stylish as those but they keep out a lot of the powerful rays that eye doctors say can strain eyes."

"I hadn't even thought of that," Maura said softly.

"My wife has been visually impaired for most of her life and lost all her vision about 8 years ago so I know a few things about vision loss," the man smiled. "I can give you the name of the place we get her sunglasses if you'd like. It's run by Lions so it's a real nice place."

"Lions?" Jane asked, not sure she understood what the man was saying.

"Lions Club International," the man said with pride. "We're the world's largest service organization with one of our pillars being improving the lives of those who are blind or visually impaired."

"I'm familiar with Lions Club," Maura said with a smile. "I just didn't know they had a presence in Boston," she added.

"Yep," the man replied. "The Boston City Lions just celebrated our 50th anniversary, actually. Here's my card," he added as he pulled a business card from his front shirt pocket and handed it to Jane with a smile. "We meet the first and third Monday of every month and the first meeting is a potluck where we all hang out and have fun before doing our business. So if you're ever in the mood for some good food and friendship, we'd love to have you."

"That sounds lovely," Maura said as she turned to face Jane. "We should see if Angela would like to join us when we visit," she suggested.

"We can bring family, right?" Jane asked the man.

"Of course! The more the merrier," he grinned. "I'm Greg, by the way," he said as he held his hand out to Jane.

"I'm Jane," she said as she shook his hand.

"Maura," the blonde said as she grasped Greg's hand and shook it.

"Here's your food," Greg said as he handed Jane a bag with their order. "But I'm totally serious when I say we'd love to have you ladies join us, even if only for a meeting or two."

"We would love to visit," Maura smiled as she resumed her grip on Jane's elbow and waved to the man before leaving the deli and beginning their walk to the park.

They arrived at the park just a few minutes later and Jane laid out a blanket on a hill near a pond where children had rolled up their pant legs and were wading in the water.

"We should have brought Joe Friday," Maura said as she sat cross legged on the blanket and inhaled the scent of springtime.

"I was thinking of picking her up tonight or tomorrow," Jane said as she pulled their lunch from the bag and handed Maura her salad. "I know she's still a trip hazard but I feel bad for leaving her with Korsak for so long. Even if she just came for a night or two to know that I haven't abandoned her," she finished with a laugh.

"We could pick her up tonight after grocery shopping?" Maura asked. "With the shadow perception I have I feel more confident that I wouldn't trip over her."

"Lemme just shoot Korsak a text seeing if he's cool parting with her," Jane laughed as she pulled her phone out and texted Korsak to ask if he would be home later that day and if he could bear to part with Joe. She set her phone on the blanket next to her and began to eat her sandwich, both women eating in comfortable silence. As much as the two women loved their witty banter, they enjoyed the fact they could sit in silence comfortably.

"Would it hurt your shoulder if I scoot a bit closer and maybe put an arm around you?" Jane asked, uncertain as to the level of pain Maura felt in the shoulder she had hurt in her fall.

For her answer, Maura moved her body towards Jane's voice, smiling when their arms brushed which prompted Jane to drape an arm over Maura's shoulders.

"This is nice," Maura said softly as she listened to the young children splashing in the pond. "This must be the park Greg was telling us that the Lions meet at," she added.

"I'm pretty sure it is," Jane agreed as she ran her fingers up and down Maura's shoulder. "I think the pavilion on the other side of the pond has the same emblem on it as his business card."

"I would like to go to one of their meetings," Maura said, uncertain if Jane felt the same. "But if you don't want to join me I could see if Angela would be my sighted guide," she added quickly.

"I'd like to go," Jane smiled.

"Really?" Maura asked, turning her head to face Jane.

"Yeah," Jane laughed, seeing the excitement on Maura's face. "And I'm sure ma would like to come. We could even have her teach us to make cannoli."

Maura quickly pressed her lips to Jane's, excited that Jane would be joining her in visiting the club as well as the thought that she would finally learn to make Angela's cannoli. She pulled away and placed a softer kiss to Jane's lips before resting her head on Jane's shoulder, a smile on her face.

"So…" Jane said after a minute of silence.

"Yes?" Maura asked, noticing the hesitation in Jane's voice.

"I was wondering if you'd talked to your mother lately," Jane said.

"I have not," Maura admitted. "She and my father were scheduled to return from a week in Ghana on Thursday and I did not want to call them right after their return to tell them about my blindness. I did not want to add undue stress to their lives."

"Well, its Monday," Jane stated. "I'm not gonna tell you what to do but it might be worth it to call Mama Isles," she said as she kissed the side of Maura's head. "In case your vision doesn't come back it might be less of a shock to tell them now versus when we get the news its permanent. Plus you could let them know that we finally came to our senses and got together," she added.

"Perhaps I'll call them tomorrow afternoon," Maura said. "It will be evening their time so I should be able to catch them."

"Hey, you don't have to call them if you don't wanna," Jane reminded her. "I just thought I'd ask if you had."

"I really should," Maura said. "What time is it?" she asked, hoping for a change of subject.

"Almost 1," Jane replied as she checked her watch. "Did you wanna head home to drop off the blanket before heading to my place and the grocery store?" They planned to restock Maura's fridge and pantry as well as stop at Jane's apartment to check her mail and pick up more clothes for Jane to wear.

"Sure," Maura smiled as she allowed Jane to stand first before helping her up and gathering their picnic supplies, offering her elbow once she did to guide Maura back to her home.

* * *

"I'm going to hop in the shower," Maura announced after she and Jane had finished putting their groceries away. "If you'd like we can start cooking dinner when I'm out."

"Sounds like a plan," Jane smiled as she walked over to Maura and placed her hands on Maura's hips. "I'll take Joe for a walk so she calms down," she added as Joe danced around the women's feet in hopes of getting one of the all-natural treats Maura often offered the dog.

"Or you could let her out into the back yard and join me in the shower," Maura suggested as she pressed her body against Jane's with a smirk. She would never force Jane to do what she felt uncomfortable doing and still did not plan on having sex until Saturday but she desperately wanted to prove to Jane that she harbored no hard feelings to the detective from what she had heart the day before.

"If I showered with you, I don't think we'd ever leave," Jane smiled as she ran her hands up and down Maura's sides, a shiver of delight running through the blonde.

"That's true," she said as she placed a kiss to Jane's neck, moving her lips up the strong jaw until reaching awaiting lip. Tongues danced with each other before Jane pulled away breathless.

"Go shower," Jane said. "The sooner we get you clean means the sooner we get dinner."

"Oh, Jane," Maura smiled. "I had no idea you were so excited to try the kale recipe tonight," she added with a smirk.

"Yeah," Jane said sarcastically. "Totally excited to try your pasta with peppers and kale," she said. "What I meant was that the sooner we eat dinner means the sooner we can go make out on the couch."

"Only if you eat a full serving of the pasta plus at least five forkfuls of kale salad," Maura said.

"You drive a hard bargain, Doctor Isles," Jane groaned as she imagined the kale she would soon be eating. "But I guess I can agree to that."

Maura smiled as she slipped out from Jane's grasp and stuck her arm out, wiggling her fingers expectantly.

"Shake on it," Maura said after Jane didn't grasp her hand. "That you will eat a full serving of the pepper and kale pasta as well as five forkfuls of kale salad and only after you do so will we move to the couch for other activities."

"The things I do for you," Jane sighed as she shook Maura's hand in mock formality before the blonde turned to walk towards her bedroom and shower.

Shaking her head, Jane bent down to pet Joe's head after the dog had jumped up to gain the detective's attention. The dog looked up at Jane with eager eyes and Jane sighed, raising to her full height and grabbing Joe's leash. She clipped it to Joe's collar and opened Maura's front door, the evening sun only just beginning its decline.

Jane walked Joe around the block twice, smiling as the small dog attempted to climb trees after squirrels or befriend other dogs who they passed. When they reached Maura's home, Joe immediately bounded up the stairs and sat in front of the door, cocking her head at Jane when the brunette didn't run up the stairs with the same level of excitement as the dog.

"Goof," Jane muttered to the dog as she entered Maura's house and let Joe off her leash, watching the dog immediately scurry off to the living room. Jane followed her, sitting down on the couch and patting the cushion next to her encouraging Joe to come next to her.

"Alright, Joe Friday," Jane said as she rubbed the dog's exposed belly. "I need you to be on your best behavior while you're here. Your Mama Maura had an accident and can't see a whole lot so you can't flop down in front of her when you want a belly rub or run around her feet while she walks. I already made her fall and hurt herself—hey, don't give me that look. I didn't do it on purpose," Jane spoke to Joe. "So you can't be like me and hurt Mama Maura, okay?"

"Actually, Joe," Maura said as she made her presence known and entered the living room, using the shadow perception she had to walk around to the other side of the couch and sit on the other end with Joe in between her and Jane. "Your mommy didn't make me fall. I tripped over my own feet," she said as Joe now propped her two front paws on Maura's thigh while the other two were still on the couch. "So don't let her tell you that she hurt me because that isn't the truth."

"Didn't know you were standing there," Jane said as she watched Maura petting her dog and felt a surge of happiness fill her at the thought that maybe she and Maura could spend the rest of their lives like this.

"I can be sneaky when I wanna be," Maura replied, laughing as Joe jumped from the couch and her paws clicked rapidly against her hardwood floors as she scurried around the house.

"Did you wanna get dinner started?" Jane asked, slightly embarrassed that Maura had heard her talking to her dog.

"Jane," Maura said as she scooted over to sit next to Jane and take the brunette's hands in her own. "Please stop beating yourself up over what happened yesterday. Yes, it hurt to hear you say those things and yes I tripped but please…I need you to open up to me about your feelings so that we don't have anything like yesterday happen again. So we can grow and keep this relationship going. Because I want you and I to stay together."

"I want that, too," Jane said softly. "I really, really do."

"Glad we're on the same page," Maura chuckled. "So tell me what you're feeling?"

"Well, at the moment I'm feeling like maybe dinner can wait for 10 minutes and I can maybe cash in on my end of our bargain early," Jane admitted with a smirk.

"Oh, really?" Maura asked.

"Yeah," Jane laughed.

For a response, Maura placed her hand at the nape of Jane's neck and pulled the detective towards her, their mouths meeting fiercely and passionately. Maura slowly leaned back until she was on her back, never breaking the kiss as she pulled Jane's body on top of her's and prayed she could erase Jane's pain from the previous day with her lips.

* * *

The next afternoon Maura found herself sitting at her kitchen table alone. Jane had taken Joe out for a run that she promised she would keep brief. Maura's hands fiddled with her cellphone, knowing she needed to call her parents yet still feeling nervous every time she did so. Taking a deep breath, Maura picked up her phone and, using the voice command, prompted her phone to dial her parent's house.

"Bonjour?"

"Bonjour, mere," Maura said, her voice calm and hiding her nerves.

"Maura, darling," Constance said when she recognized her daughter's voice. "How lovely it is to hear your voice! You father and I were not expecting a call from you. This is a pleasant surprise."

"Are you not available to talk?" Maura asked, not sure if she wanted her parents to be busy or not.

"Your father is on a call right now with some colleagues but I am reading the article you had published recently on the ethics associated with medical examiners," Constance said as she took her reading glasses off and placed them on the desk she was reading at. "It is quite intriguing, my dear. You continuously make your father and I so proud."

"Really?" Maura asked, unable to mask the shock in her voice at her mother's emotional statement.

"Of course," her mother said. "Your father and I might not have shown you that much growing up and we do regret that. But we are so proud of the work you do, both in your academic publishings and your work with the Boston Police Department. Just the other day I overheard your father bragging about you to an old college friend."

"Thank you so much, mother," Maura said, her throat suddenly feeling tighter. "I do try to make you proud."

"I am sorry you ever doubted our pride in your," Constance said sadly. "I will try to be better for you," she added. "But do tell me—what is your reason for calling? Is everything okay?"

Maura inhaled deeply and decided she would start with her good news before telling her bad news.

"Jane and I are together, mother," Maura stated simply.

"Oh, you are?" Constance asked, surprising Maura with her excitement. "Maura, darling, I am so happy for you. I know how close you and Jane have become and how deeply you both care for each other."

"It has only been about 4 or 5 days," Maura stated. "But I've never loved someone as much as I love Jane. It might have overwhelmed me at one point but now it excites me. The prospect of spending forever with her," Maura said as she imagined growing old with Jane at her side.

"Do tell me, dear. What was it that pushed you two to come to your senses?"

"I had a small accident in the lab," Maura said as she remembered the feeling of stupidity that she felt when she realized her vision loss was her fault. "The sap of a poisonous plant came into contact with my eye and I lost my vision on Wednesday evening."

"Oh, my Maura," Constance breathed, the pain her daughter must be feeling causing her chest to constrict. "What have the doctors said?"

"They said there was a chance I would get my sight back but also a chance it might be permanent. I awoke yesterday to shadow perception, which leaves me hopeful that with the eye drops Jane helps me put in three times a day, I will soon have full vision back."

"How can your father and I help you?" Constance asked.

"I am not sure," Maura said honestly, smiling as she heard Jane enter the house and immediately fill up a glass with water. "Jane has been absolutely incredible in acting as my sighted guide," she told her mother, listening as Jane's footsteps grew closer and stopped just behind her, a hand coming out to rest on Maura's shoulder.

"Is she there now?" Constance asked, hearing the smile in her daughter's voice.

"She just walked into the house," Maura replied. "Would you like to speak to her?"

Jane's hand tightened on Maura's shoulder and Maura couldn't help but chuckle as she handed her phone up to Jane. Relaxing her hand, Jane took the phone and pressed it to her ear.

"Hi, Constance," Jane said into the phone.

"Hello, Jane," Constance said warmly. "I know that we have not had the smoothest of paths but I would like to tell you how thrilled I am that Maura has someone like you to love her."

"Thank you, ma'am," Jane said. "I'm thrilled that Maura lets me love her. And that she loves me."

"I have no doubt that you and Maura will be together for quite some time," Constance smiled.

"I certainly hope so," Jane agreed.

"Which is why I would like to welcome you into the Isles family," Constance said. "In person," she added. "Either by arranging for you and Maura to take some time to come to visit my husband and I or by arranging for us to come to Boston."

"I think that sounds like a plan," Jane smiled. "And I know Maura would love it, too."

"Fabulous," Constance said as she relaxed into her chair. "We will be in touch."

"I look forward to it."

"Goodbye, Jane," Constance said. "Please let me speak to Maura so I can properly tell her goodbye, as well."

"It was lovely speaking to you, Constance," Jane said with sincerity before handing the phone to Maura and kissing the crown of her head gently.

* * *

**I'm not fond of this chapter but I promise that the next chapters will be better.**

**I just had to include Lions Club International in this story. Lions Club changed my father's life in such a wonderful way and everyone in my family—mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, and myself—are all Lions. My dad was president of his club last year while I served as president of mine last year. So it's a family affair. Please PM me if you'd like to know more about Lions Clubs!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Didn't get a whole lot of reviews on the last chapter so I'm not entirely sure how ya'lll are feeling but I hope you enjoy this installment!**

* * *

"That went pretty well," Jane said once Maura hung up the phone.

"It did," Maura agreed. "My mother told me that my father was recently bragging about me to an old friend," she laughed. "She told me that they're proud of me."

"Which they should be," Jane replied as she sat down next to Maura at the kitchen table. "Did Constance tell you that she wants to welcome me to the Isles family in person?"

"What?" Maura laughed, her mother not having mentioned anything like that.

"Yeah. She said she could either arrange for us to come to them or they could come to Boston," Jane said.

"Would you like that?" Maura asked, knowing that her parent's lavish lifestyle carried the potential to make Jane doubt herself or feel uncomfortable.

"It could be fun," Jane smiled. "Jet set off to Europe and watch you geek out as you show me all your favorite museums and historical places. Plus I'm betting that your parents have at least one embarrassing story from your childhood."

"They probably have one or two," Maura agreed with a soft smile.

"Oh!" Jane said. "Plus I'm dying to see photos of baby Maura!"

Maura simply laughed and shook her head at Jane's excitement over the idea of seeing her childhood photographs.

"Wanna know what else I'm dying to do?" Jane asked after a few moments.

"What?"

"Eat some dinner," Jane announced. "I only ran a few miles but I'm starving. I feel like I would eat anything you put in front of me."

"So, a kale salad it is then!" Maura joked as she stood up and began to walk to the kitchen, her posture more confident than it had been when she first lost her vision.

"Mauraaa," Jane whined as she followed her girlfriend to the kitchen.

"Oh, stop whining," Maura chided Jane with a chuckle. "I was actually thinking we could make fajitas," she added. "I've got a red and green pepper as well as an onion I'd like to use before they go bad. I should have chicken breast in the fridge, along with shredded cheese and a box of seasoned rice in the cupboard."

"So, no kale?" Jane asked excitedly.

"Not unless you'd really like some," Maura replied.

"I am totally fine," Jane quickly said. "I love you," she added as she kissed Maura's lips briefly.

"Love you, too," Maura replied as she began to pull out the required pots and pans while Jane pulled the ingredients from their shelves in the pantry and fridge and placed them on the counter. She turned her back to Maura for a minute to rearrange the food in the fridge and when she turned around, Maura had placed an onion on her cutting board and was holding a large knife in her hand.

"Woah, woah, woah," Jane said as she saw the knife in Maura's hand, poised to begin the process of slicing an onion. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Unless you would like an entire onion in your fajita, I was planning on slicing the onion and peppers before sautéing them," Maura replied, not understanding why Jane was questioning her actions.

"How about you cook the chicken in the skillet or set the table?"

"Pardon me?" Maura asked incredulously.

"I don't want you to chop your fingers off or anything," Jane said as she placed a hand on Maura's forearm, silently encouraging her to let go of the knife. It didn't work. Maura's grip on the knife's handle only tightened.

"Jane," Maura said, finding herself oddly angry at Jane's statements. "I have been a medical examiner for years and have been cooking for even longer. I am more than capable of handling a sharp object without harming myself."

"But you've never done any of those things without your vision," Jane countered. "Look, I'm just-"

"You are just doubting me!" Maura snapped, dropping the knife to the cutting board before spinning to face Jane. "You clearly are doubting my ability to slice a few vegetables! I wonder what other abilities of mine you are now doubting!" she said.

"Maura," Jane said, not believing Maura's sudden outburst. "When have I ever doubted your abilities?"

"Right now," Maura suggested harshly. "And it is not appreciated," she added angrily.

"You know that I'm not doubting you, Maura," Jane said firmly, trying to remain calm in the face of Maura's anger. "You know-"

"Wait," Maura interrupted. "Is the reason you didn't want to have sex because you doubt my abilities in the bedroom?"

"What? Maura, you're being ridiculous right now."

"I'm being ridiculous?" Maura repeated. "Or are you?"

Jane stared at Maura, still unable to process how Maura had suddenly gone from saying she loved Jane to angry.

"I'm gonna take Joe for a walk," Jane said softly as she quickly maneuvered around Maura and grabbed Joe's leash from its hook, whistling as she opened the door to lure Joe to her side. The front door closed gently as Jane left Maura alone in the kitchen.

"Damn it," Maura said as she ignored doctor's ordered and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes gently. She sighed deeply and stood silently for a few moments before picking up the knife that had started the argument and began to cautiously slice the onion.

After she finished with the onion and two peppers and Jane hadn't returned, Maura only paused for a moment before moving to the stove to cook the chicken. She had been able to calm herself down as she worked in the kitchen and hoped Jane would soon return home so they could discuss what had happened while eating.

Half an hour later, Maura had finished sautéing the vegetables, cooking the chicken, and steaming the rice only to find herself still alone in her house. She continued to keep busy, finding solace in the routine nature of setting the table, washing pots and pans after transferring their contents to serving dishes, and filling the teakettle to begin tea.

After an hour and a half without Jane returning home and two cups of tea, Maura felt panic begin to rise in her chest. In the course of less than two hours, Maura had gone from content to angry to calm to worried and the normally composed doctor was not used to such an emotional roller coaster ride.

Maura debated with herself for a little longer, not knowing if calling Jane was an acceptable plan of action or if Jane would prefer to be left alone after Maura's outburst. Finally her concern for Jane's safety won over her concern for what Jane would or would not prefer.

Pulling her phone from her pocket, Maura used voice command to instruct the phone to call Jane. She put the phone to her ear and, once she heard the ringing coming from her phone, the ominous ringtone Jane had once played for Maura could be heard. Maura's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she followed the sound of the funeral march to its origin, which she soon discovered was just outside of her front door. Jane didn't pick up so either Jane's phone had fallen from her pocket to the front porch or Jane was sitting on the porch, not answering Maura.

Taking a beer from her fridge, Maura slowly opened her front door and saw a familiar looking silhouette sitting on her porch. Maura found the railing next to the stairs and grasped it, using it to help guide her down a few steps to sit on the same step at Jane yet with ample distance between them. She placed the beer on the step in between them as if it were an olive branch. A peace offering.

The corners of Jane's moth twitched slightly in a soft smile at the peace offering Maura had brought. She picked up the beer and noticed Maura begin to fiddle with her necklace when she heard the hiss that accompanied the opening of the beverage.

The two women sat in silence, neither sure where to start this conversation. After several minutes of uncomfortable silence, Maura's hands dropped from her necklace and spoke.

"Dinner is on the table," she said softly. "You can reheat it when you come inside or just leave it and I'll put it in the fridge," she added as she stood up and moved to turn back to the house. Jane's hand, however, reached out to grab Maura's and keep her on the porch.

"Stay," Jane said, her voice gravely from either crying or disuse, Maura couldn't tell. Though it was only one word, it made Maura's heart flutter with hope that she and Jane wouldn't end due to this. Maura sat back down, smiling softly when Jane laced their fingers together.

"I wasn't doubting you," Jane said sadly.

"I'm sorry," Maura said, the dejected tone in Jane's voice nearly breaking her heart.

"I'm just trying to protect you. Keep you safe," Jane admitted. "It's what I do and I'm sorry if it came off as me doubting you. It wasn't what I wanted you to think, Maura."

"I know," Maura said as she squeezed Jane's hand softly. "I overreacted and I hope you can understand why I said those things," Maura added. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Since I was 9 and requested the brochure for the boarding school I attended the next year, I've had to be independent. It's how I survived. Eventually being independent went from something I needed to do to something that I enjoyed doing and that I prided myself on. Coming to terms with the idea that I have lost quite a bit of independence since Wednesday and that I might lose even more is…" Maura trailed off, not sure of the right word. "Terrifying," she eventually said.

"That makes sense," Jane said simply. "When Hoyt and I had the encounter in the basement and my hands were all screwed up, I felt like I was a constant ball of hate because so much of my independence was gone. It hurt me and made me angry and terrified me all at the same time," the detective admitted.

"But you never had an outburst like I did," Maura sadly replied.

"Oh, my ma would beg to differ," Jane said with a soft chuckle. "She saw her fair share of angry outbursts and heard more curse words than I think she knew existed."

Maura laughed softly as she imagined Angela's face whenever Jane swore and imagined what it would be if Jane really did swear excessively around her mother.

"I shouldn't have acted like I did," Maura sighed.

"I disagree," Jane shrugged. "Cause when I was in the middle of my lost independence, someone once told me that it was okay to feel terrified and angry and all that other crap," she continued as she squeezed Maura's hand. "She told me that I needed to feel those things and…Shit, what was that phrase she used?"

"Honor the pain," Maura said with a soft smile, remembering the advice she had given to Jane years earlier.

"Yeah, that," Jane smiled. "She told me to honor the pain and if honoring the pain meant eating Ben & Jerry's at 2am or screaming into a pillow or taking an hour long shower, I had to do that in order to not let it kill me."

"Your friend sounds very intelligent."

"You are," Jane said as she brought Maura's hand to her lips and kissed the back of it softly.

At the feeling of Jane's lips pressed to her hand, Maura felt a dam inside her break and silent sob escaped her as tears welled in her eyes and fell down her cheeks.

"Forgive me," Maura begged Jane.

"Oh, Maura," Jane sighed as she quickly scooted closer to Maura and pulled the blonde into her arms, one hand resting on her upper back while the other gently ran through her hair. "Of course," she said softly to the crying blonde.

Jane knew that Maura was crying for their fight but also for more. For the loss of her sight and her independence, for the fear of the unknown that filled Maura's soul, and the hope she desperately was clinging to.

For several minutes the two women sat on the porch, the setting sun casting a warm glow on them as they found comfort in each other's embrace. It was not until Joe Friday, who had previously been sleeping at Jane's feet, managed to wiggle through a gap between the two women and begin to dance in place on both women's laps did they separate.

"I love you, Maura," Jane said sincerely as she gently wiped tear tracks from the blonde's cheeks.

"I love you, too, Jane," Maura said, her throat still obviously constricted with unshed tears.

"Come on," Jane gently whispered as she softly ushered Joe off their laps and stood up, holding tight onto Maura's hands as she helped the blonde stand. "Let's get up to bed where you can be little spoon," she added as she slowly walked back into Maura's house, desperately praying to a God she wasn't sure she believed in to give Maura her sight back.

* * *

"Do you think I could take a bath before bed?" Maura asked softly when she sat down at the edge of her bed as Jane pulled a pair of sweats from the academy and a BPD t-shirt from Maura's drawer.

"You don't have to ask me if you can bathe, Maura," Jane said gently as she sat down next to Maura and placed the faded garments in the medical examiner's lap. Maura felt the fabric of the clothing and turned to look in Jane's direction.

"These aren't my pajamas," she pointed out. "They're your old academy sweatpants and that BPD t-shirt with the hole in the armpit," she added as she felt the hole in question, confused as to why Jane handed them to her.

"I know," Jane smiled. "But I may have intel from a very reliable source that you've worn them a few times and admitted that you enjoyed them."

"Is Angela your reliable source?" Maura asked with a smile.

"Maybe," Jane teased. "She may have told me that she came to check on you while I was in the hospital after the shooting at headquarters and found you watching sports in my pajamas."

"They smell like you," Maura admitted. "I hope it's okay that I've had them."

"Okay?" Jane asked. "It's more than okay. The idea of you wearing my sweats and watching sports? Totally hot," Jane said as she kissed Maura's cheek with a smile.

Maura smiled as she felt Jane's lips on her cheek, thanking the universe that she was given someone like the detective in her life.

"Did you maybe want some company in the bath?"

"What?" Maura asked, not sure she understood what Jane was asking.

"Ya know," Jane said. "Company. Your bathtub is pretty huge and could easily fit both of us if you wanted someone to keep you company."

"Would you be comfortable joining me?" Maura asked, remembering the night of their date when Jane confided in Maura her desires to wait to take that final step in physical intimacy until Maura could see.

"Yeah," Jane said confidently. She still hoped to have Maura's sight back when they first made love but this intimacy, though without clothing, would be entirely different than sex. "Science has proven that skin to skin contact can reduce heart rate, blood pressure, and stress as well as increase the happy hormones."

"Happy hormones?" Maura smiled. "You were doing so well remembering what I told you about the science of skin to skin contact until you said that."

"Can't let you think that I listen to _everything_ you say," Jane laughed as she stood up and, tugging on Maura's hand, encouraged her to stand up and walk with her to the bathroom.

When they reached the bathroom, Jane quickly plugged the tub and turned the hot water on to fill it. She turned to find Maura holding out a small jar with purple bath salts expectantly and, chuckling, took the jar from the blonde's hand and sprinkled a handful into the water, lavender filling the air. Jane quickly pulled her clothing off, tossing it into the hamper. Maura had undressed down to her undergarments but, unable to see that Jane was already naked, hesitated to take off her underwear.

"Let me," Jane said lightly as she turned Maura around and ran her hands over the blonde's back before resting on the clasp to her bra. Jane undid the clasps and Maura pulled the garment from her body as Jane's hands slid down her sides, her fingers hooking under the waistband of Maura's underwear and smoothly pushing them down until gravity took over and they fell to the tiled floor. Jane bent to pick them and place them in the hamper. She checked on the water in the tub, giving it a little longer to fill.

"You really are gorgeous," Jane told Maura as she stepped behind her and wrapped her arms around the blonde's midsection, her bare torso pressing against Maura's bare back. Maura gasped at the feeling of Jane's bare skin on her own, partly because she thought Jane was still clothed and partly because she felt her body immediately respond to the detective.

Moments later Jane lowered herself into the tub, leaving her outstretched legs open for Maura to sit between. Once Maura was relaxed comfortable against Jane, Jane slide the frosted glass door to Maura's bathtub shut, effectively shutting out the rest of the world and creating a bubble for her and Maura to relax in. Jane gently pulled a hair tie from around her wrist and pulled Maura's hair up into a pony tail before reaching for the blonde's body sponge and dipping it into the lavender scented water.

"Maybe I should talk to someone," Maura said softly as Jane began to run the sponge over Maura's back.

"Like a therapist?" Jane asked, keeping her voice just as soft as Maura's.

"Mmmhmm," Maura hummed as she dipped her head forward to allow Jane full access to her upper back and neck.

"I think that'd be a really solid idea," Jane said. "That guy from the deli the other day, Greg," she thought aloud, "he might know of a person who has experience with individuals with disabilities. Or his wife might since he mentioned she lost her vision a couple years ago."

"Let's ask him when we visit the Lions Club meeting," Maura suggested.

"I'm sorry I can't help you more," Jane said sadly as she let the sponge float in the water and began to run her hands over Maura's back instead.

"Jane," Maura said, lifting her head and turning her neck so she Jane could at least see the profile of her face. "You have been so incredibly helpful to me. You were the one who drove me to the hospital when it happened, you put rhinestones on things for me to use easier and learned how to guide me and how to arrange my food. You have put eye drops in my eyes three times a day for six days and have helped me fill out medical forms."

"But-"

"More than that," Maura continued, ignoring Jane's attempt a protest, "you have helped me feel safe as I learn to live without my sight, made me feel more love than I thought my heart could handle, and continue to remind me to hold on to hope that I will see again. Without you, Jane, I more than likely would have crawled into bed and never left. You have been my rock, Jane."

"I meant it when I said I'd give up my eyesight if it meant you'd get yours back."

"If that were scientifically possible, I know you would, Jane," Maura said with a smile as she allowed herself to relax against Jane's body and tilt her head back slightly to rest on Jane's shoulder.

"Then I'll go to med school," Jane announced as she wrapped her arms around Maura's torso. "I'll go and study eye doctor stuff so I can make some sort of discovery about eyeball transplants," she continued. Though her words were silly, she hoped Maura understood her sincerity. "Then once I've made eyeball transplants scientifically possible, I'll give you mine. Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds like a plan," Maura smiled as she placed her hands over Jane's and squeezed.

* * *

**Kind of a not so great chapter but I feel like our lovely ladies gotta have a bit of a struggle before they can really ride off into the sunset. Haha**

**At this rate, I think we'll have about 3 chapters left, maybe? But I have a question for ya'll: how would you feel seeing someone from Maura's past (maybe Ian) pop in for a quick cameo? Nothing angsty—more like protective Jane and Maura standing up for herself. Thoughts on that?**


	11. Chapter 11

**The number of people who showed disgust at the mention of Ian truly made me laugh. I really wanted to write Maura slapping him but since ya'll didn't wanna see him appear, I've decided to honor your wishes.**

**Also, the end of the chapter has smut. :-)**

**On with the show!**

* * *

"I have been thinking about something," Maura stated as she slid into her bed with Jane after their bathwater had grown cold. They had put on undergarments but left pajamas in the dresser drawers, preferring skin to skin contact.

"Anything in particular?" Jane inquired, smiling as Maura wiggled her hips, silently encouraging Jane to drape her arm across the blonde's midsection as per usual.

"Yes," Maura confirmed as she placed her hand over Jane's and rubbed soothingly over Jane's scar with her thumb.

"Are you gonna tell me what it is that you've been thinking about?"

"I know that we have only been officially together for about a week," Maura began before Jane quickly interrupted.

"But we've kinda been a little bit together for a while," Jane laughed as she kissed the nape of Maura's neck.

"This is true," Maura laughed. "Which is why I don't feel as though asking you to move in with me is a terribly ludicrous idea."

"You want me to move in with you?" Jane asked, a smile growing on her face.

"Yeah," Maura said as she nodded, her hair tickling Jane's face as she did so. "I don't know if I'll get my sight back," Maura stated simply. "But what I do know is that I want you to live here with me. I want your things mixed with mine in the bathroom and the closet and I want to have days where we never leave this bed and I want to have nights where we laugh on the couch until three in the morning without worrying about you driving home."

"You want my inability to make a bed and my desire for cocoa puffs and instant coffee for breakfast and my horrible singing in the shower?" Jane asked with a chuckle.

"All of it, Jane," Maura replied. "I want you here."

"Can I bring the punching bag dummy Korsak and Frost got me as a get well present after I shot myself?" Jane teased.

"I still cannot believe they got you that," Maura attempted to scold. "You were supposed to be resting. But, yes, you may bring the punching bag. We could even turn the guest bedroom into a work-out room for you. I know you have free weights and I am sure we could make it work for you to have a room to work out in. Since I have my yoga room…"

"You would do that for me?" Jane asked hopefully. Never in any of her past relationships had she been with someone who so willingly offered to do things for her the way Maura offered.

"I would do so many things for you, Jane, if only you would let me."

"I know you would, Maur," Jane admitted as she began to pepper the back of Maura's neck , her shoulders, and anywhere else she could reach with soft kisses.

"So…That's a yes?" Maura asked. "You'll move in with me?"

"I'll start packing tomorrow," Jane murmured in between kisses, grinning when she felt Maura squeeze her hand in excitement.

* * *

"So," Jane announced once she shut the door to her apartment and leaned the stack of unfolded boxes against the wall. "Where do we start?"

"We should go room by room," Maura stated. "Bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room. Pack the important and large things first and then go back for the small knick-knacks and such."

"I don't have many knick knacks," Jane laughed as she grabbed a few boxes and the packing tape. She nudged Maura with her elbow which prompted the blonde to grasp Jane's elbow and be guided down the hall to Jane's bedroom. Once in Jane's bedroom, Maura sat on the edge of Jane's bed as Jane quickly assembled two of the cardboard boxes.

"Would you like to take the closet and I can take the dresser?" Maura asked. "That way we can tag team the packing?"

"Sounds good to me," Jane smiled as she watched Maura rise and slowly make her way to Jane's dresser. Her steps were timid since she was not as familiar with Jane's bedroom without her sight but when her fingers brushed the dresser, she exhaled softly in relief that she had made it. Jane brought a box over to Maura and placed it next to the medical examiner. "I love you," Jane said as she kissed the dimple that appeared on Maura's cheek.

"I love you, too," Maura smiled as she turned her head to capture Jane's lips in a proper kiss. Maura slipped her hands under Jane's t-shirt, smiling against the detective's lips when she felt that Jane had forgone an undershirt. She slid her hands up Jane's abs slowly, her hands stopping abruptly just below Jane's bra as the brunette moved her mouth from Maura's to her ear, kissing the freckle just behind the lobe she had dubbed her favorite freckle. She loved it because she had soon discovered it made her girlfriend weak in the knees.

"Have I ever told you that this is my favorite freckle of yours?" Jane murmured into Maura's ear.

"You may have mentioned that once or twice," Maura managed to reply, regaining use of her hands and sliding them up the few inches needed to cover Jane's breasts. She squeezed the bra covered breasts gently, both women unable to hold back moans.

"Is it bad that I don't wanna stop?" Jane asked, her hands traveling to Maura's jean clad ass and pulling their pelvises closer together.

"I don't either," Maura breathed as Jane bit the skin surrounding her freckle gently, soothing it with her tongue after Maura gasped.

"But we should," Jane groaned as Maura's hands tightened over her breasts.

"Saturday," Maura said as she took a step back and pulled her hands reluctantly from Jane's chest. "Saturday at 10:17pm, there will be no stopping."

Jane groaned at the thought, never having felt this level of excitement for sex for any of her former partners. She gave Maura's ass one final squeeze before letting go and turning to the closet, her heart racing.

"Mind if I put on some music?" Jane asked, already pulling a set of iPod speakers from her closet and plugging them into her wall.

"Not at all," Maura said, still attempting to calm her racing heart as she began to pull clothing from Jane's drawers and fold the items before placing them in the box. Music filled the room, though it was music Maura was not familiar with. "I like this," she stated after a song had finished and another began.

"Thanks," Jane smiled as she pulled shirts and pants from hangers, folding them not nearly as neatly as Maura was folding the clothes from the dresser. "That college girl we interviewed a few weeks ago about her friend's death wouldn't stop talking about this band called We The Kings. She had one of their t-shirts on and anytime there was a few minutes where we weren't talking to her, she'd put her headphones in and listen to the band. When we closed the case, she came to the station and gave me copies of their CDs. Said it was her way of thanking me."

"I didn't know that," Maura said, remembering the way Jane and the young woman were so eerily similar with their sarcasm and dedication to friends.

"Yeah," Jane replied. "She told me that she and Lisa always made each other CDs and that, since she figured Lisa would have liked me, she wanted to make me some."

"She reminded me of you."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm," Maura confirmed. "She was sarcastic but underneath that I think she was in quite a bit of pain from the loss of her best friend and every other thing that she'd been through. She seemed to be so dedicated to helping her friend's family find some closure and when she spoke of her after graduation plans her eyes lit up like yours do when you're passionate."

"I guess she and I were kinda similar," Jane thought. "She was a great kid. I feel like if I ever had a kid, I'd want them to turn out like her."

"Do you want children?" Maura asked tentatively, keeping her back to Jane. She and Jane had barely spoken about having children before becoming a couple and she was uncertain as to whether talking about having children now that they were a couple was acceptable.

"I think so, yeah," Jane admitted.

"Really?" Maura asked, unable to mask the surprise in her voice. Angela had always told Maura that Jane insisted she would never have children and Jane herself had made comments about being more than happy just being Auntie Jane to little TJ.

"Yup," Jane said. "I know that I tell ma I'm never gonna have kids and that bein' Auntie Jane is more than okay but I'd really like to be a mom. I guess I just tell people that I don't wanna be a mom as one of those defense mechanisms you're always telling me I'm so good at. So that way if I ended up without kids then I wouldn't be disappointed."

"That makes sense," Maura said, her heart fluttering with the thought of one day having children with Jane.

"What about you?" Jane asked as she continued to pull clothes from her closet to be folded. "Do you wanna be a mama?"

"Yes," Maura replied with a soft smile. "I've always liked the idea of having a child biologically as well as adopting one. Raising them as siblings."

"You'd be a great mama," Jane told Maura.

"So would you," Maura replied.

"Maybe one day we could both be mamas," Jane suggested. "Together."

Maura spun around to look in the direction of Jane's closet, desperately wishing she could see her girlfriend's face to detect emotions.

"Are you serious?" Maura asked, both scared and excited to hear Jane's answer.

"Totally," Jane smiled as she looked over her shoulder to see Maura's face light up with a smile. "Could you imagine what our kids would be like? They'd have my crazy hair but hopefully your eyebrows because I only had one eyebrow for, like, the first 5 years of my life and they'd be able to make a science fair project about the effect wind speed has on softball games."

"They would have your gorgeous olive skin," Maura said as she imagined their child standing in front of a science fair poster. "And maybe only a fraction of your sass."

"Your eyes," Jane thought.

"Your smile," Maura added.

"Your heart," Jane said.

"_Your_ heart," Maura retorted with a smile.

"Dance with me," Jane said as a slower song came on her iPod speakers.

"Jane, we won't get anything packed if-"

"Just this one song. Please?" Jane said, putting as much whine into her voice as she could muster.

"Fine," Maura laughed as she set the shorts she was folding into the box and followed the sound of Jane's voice, laughing as Jane quickly grasped her hands and pulled them together. The two began to sway to the music and Maura smiled when she heard some of the lyrics.

_You're the perfect melody_

_The only harmony I wanna hear_

_You're my favorite part of me_

_With you standing next to me_

_I've got nothing to fear_

"Is it scientifically possible to have a mixture of both of us in this dream child that we will not be telling my mother we've dreamt of?" Jane asked, breaking Maura's concentration on the lyrics.

"Very much so, yes," Maura smiled as she rested her head against Jane's chest. "One of us would donate our eggs to be mixed with donor sperm and then that would be implanted into the other of us. For example, you could donate your eggs and I could carry or I could donate my eggs and you could carry."

"You'd look really cute with a little us growing inside of you," Jane said as she imagined what Maura would look like with a growing belly and eating pickles at midnight.

"Breasts can grow up to a full cup size during pregnancy," Maura stated, smiling when she felt the vibrations in Jane's chest from a groan.

"I'm not scared," Jane admitted as the song ended but neither woman made a move to separate.

"Neither am I," Maura said with a smile.

"The minute any other relationship I've had started talking about kids or marriage or anything beyond our next date, I always got scared. Scared that they would get too close or try to change me or use what I'd told them against me one day. But…I'm not scared with you."

"I'm glad," Maura responded as she pulled her head from Jane's chest to kiss her girlfriend softly. "I love you," she murmured against the detective's lips.

"Love you more," Jane smiled.

"Love you most," Maura said triumphantly as she stepped back from Jane's arms to resume packing.

Shaking her head, Jane turned back to her closet to finish emptying it of its contents.

* * *

"Since I'm only planning on staying at the station for half a day, did you want me to pick up something for lunch on my way home?" Jane asked the next morning as she finished butting up her shirt and turned to face Maura who was sitting at the island drinking her morning coffee.

"That would be nice," Maura smiled. "Let me give you my credit card so I can pay," she added as she slid from the barstool and walked to the closet where her purse was.

"You don't have to do that, Maura," Jane said as she pulled her boots on and zipped them up.

"And you didn't have to take over a week off of work to keep me company," Maura stated as she slid her card into the back pocket of Jane's jeans, squeezing Jane's ass playfully as she did so. "Let me treat you, Jane. Take care of you."

"Okay," Jane nodded. "I should be back around 1 this afternoon," she added as she kissed Maura's lips. "You promise to call me if you need anything?"

"I think I can manage 5 hours alone, Jane," Maura smiled.

"Maura," Jane said as she placed her hand on the doorknob to the front door.

"I promise I will call you if I need anything," Maura said with a soft laugh as she heard Jane call "love you!" over her shoulder before closing the door and heading to the station.

Jane arrived at the station just before 8am, receiving warm welcome backs from officers as she walked into the building and headed to the squadroom. She greeted Korsak and Frost with a grin as she plopped into her chair and looked around the room.

"Feel good to be back," she announced as she kicked her feet up onto her desk.

"Good to have ya back, partner," Frost said as he flicked a paper football in her direction.

"Yeah, we've missed you around here," Korsak added. "Your instinct could really come in handy with this new case we've got."

"New case," Jane stated as she pulled her feet from her desk and turned to the board they had set up in the squadroom. "I read the files you sent me yesterday but catch me up on what I gotta know."

The three detectives began to work, falling back into a comfortable rhythm even though Jane had been gone for over a week. They tossed ideas around and enjoying the occasional joke as they dug though the crime scene photos and any other evidence they could gather.

The three were laughing at something that had happened just before noon, tears in Jane's eyes when the tell-tale funeral march began to play from Jane's phone.

"That's Maura," Jane said, taking a deep breath to calm herself but launching into laughter again when she looked at Frost. "Hey, Maur," she laughed as she picked up the phone and wiped tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Jane," Maura said and Jane immediately held her hand up to shush the other detectives and took a few steps away from the noise of the squadroom.

"Maura, what's wrong?" she asked, noticing the tears she could hear in Maura's voice and the sniffling that Maura made no attempt to hide. "You're crying, Maura. Why are you crying?" she asked nervously.

"The photo frame you gave me on our date on Saturday," Maura said, her voice shaking as she cradled the frame to her chest.

"Did Joe jump onto the counter and knock it off and break it?" Jane asked, praying that was what had Maura in tears. "Cause if she did I can totally withhold treats from her for the next month and then buy you a new frame. Really, nothing to cry about."

"She didn't break the frame, Jane," Maura laughed as she looked down at the frame in her hands.

"Then why are you crying?" Jane asked, confused as to why Maura was laughing in the midst of tears.

"These are happy tears, Jane," Maura informed Jane. "The photo frame you bought me…" Maura trailed off, running her fingers over the frame. "I can see it."

* * *

Jane made it back to Maura's home in record time, barely remembering to pull the keys from the ignition before bolting up the stairs and flinging the front door open.

"Maura?" she called as she slammed the door and scanned the entryway for her girlfriend. Maura suddenly appeared in front of Jane, her eyes clearly able to focus on Jane for the first time in over a week. "Maura," Jane repeated as the medical examiner threw her arms around Jane and hugged her tightly.

"I can see, Jane," Maura said into Jane's neck, giggling with the sheer joy of being able to say she could see. "I can see," she said again as she pulled her head away from Jane's neck to look at the detective's face. She couldn't stop her hands from reaching up to cup Jane's face as she studied the face of the woman she thought she might never see again.

Jane couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes as she saw the way Maura looked at her with such pure love and excitement.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Jane asked, pulling away from Maura slightly and holding her hand up.

"Four," Maura laughed as she looked at Jane's hands in front of her face. "Seven," she stated as Jane added more fingers. "I love you, too," she laughed as Jane held up the sign language symbol for 'I love you.'

"You can see," Jane smiled as she felt a moment of incredibly ridiculous energy fill her bones, encouraging her to lift Maura off her feet and spin her around. Maura laughed as Jane spun her and when the spinning stopped she wrapped her legs around Jane's waist rather than allow Jane to set her down on her feet.

"We should call Dr. Gao," Maura said as she continued her studying of Jane's face, smiling widely. "Let him know that I've got my sight back."

"Or," Jane said as she extended her neck to kiss the freckle behind Maura's ear lobe that she loved. "We could celebrate," she whispered in Maura's ear.

"I like that plan better," Maura smiled as she crashed her lips to Jane's, smiling against Jane's lips when she felt Jane begin to walk to the stairs that would lead them to the bedroom. They made it to the bedroom safely, surprising both women since their lips only parted for quick breaths and their bodies were radiating with excitement.

Jane gently laid Maura on the bed once they reached the bedroom and grinned as she saw Maura's eyes open and focused on her. She quickly crawled on top of Maura and captured her lips again. Their kisses continued to grow heated until Maura was the first to pull away.

"I want to see you," she breathed as she began to unbutton Jane's blouse with fingers trembling with excitement. "Naked," she clarified as she managed to finish unbuttoning the blouse and pushed it of Jane's shoulders. Jane quickly shrugged out of it, tugging her tank top up and over her head immediately after.

"Your turn," Jane smiled as she slid her hands under Maura's sleeveless blouse and began to push it up, helping Maura into a sitting position so she could pull the shirt from her torso. Noticing Jane's distraction by her breasts, Maura seized an opportunity to roll them over so she was the one straddling Jane.

"I like the view from up here better," Maura laughed when she saw Jane's eyes widen at her stunt. She pressed a kiss to Jane's lips as her hands slipped underneath Jane and deftly unhooked her bra, pulling it from the detective's body and tossing it over her shoulder. She bit her lip as she then reached behind her own back to unhook her bra and throw it to join Jane's on the floor.

"Good God," Jane breathed as she saw Maura's breasts free from constraint.

Maura smirked as she leaned down to press her torso to Jane's, loving the gasp that escaped Jane as their breasts pressed together. Maura had thought Jane would be hesitant to make love or need guidance but when Jane slid her hands between their breasts to firmly grasp Maura's, those thoughts left the blonde's mind.

Maura's hands didn't stay still for long as she raised her hips for easier access to Jane's belt buckle, which she quickly undid and then moved on to the button and zipper of Jane's slacks. She hooked her fingers into the waist band of both the pants and Jane's panties and tugged, pushing them down as far as she could with her hands before using her toes to push them down the rest of the way, ginning at the plop sound they made as they hit the floor.

Maura allowed herself a moment of pleasure as Jane's hands continued to firmly massage her breasts, a grin on the detective's face as she watched nipples harden with every swipe of her thumb. Maura watched Jane stare at her chest, blushing when Jane's eyes flicked up to meet hers.

"You've got too many clothes on," Jane smiled as she reluctantly let go of Maura's breasts and moved to the button of Maura's jeans, unbuttoning it and pushing the zipper down. "Take them off," she commanded.

With a smile, Maura moved to stand next to the bed, keeping her eyes locked on Jane's who had propped herself up on her elbows to watch Maura slowly push her jeans down and kick them off to the side.

"Get up here," Jane nearly growled after she allowed her eyes to take in all of Maura's body and found herself unable to wait a moment longer to feel their bodies together.

Maura quickly moved back to her position straddling Jane, smiling as she felt Jane's hands come to rest on her hips. They locked eyes and held each other's gaze before Jane laughed softly and shook her head.

"What?" Maura asked with a smile as she looked at Jane's smiling face.

"Nothing," Jane replied as she ran her hands up and down Maura's sides. "I've just never been this excited to have sex with anyone before."

With those words, Maura once again leaned down to press she and Jane's breasts together, kissing the brunette fiercely. She used one hand to prop her up and slipped her free hand between their bodies, letting it trail down Jane's abs before reaching the wetness that was already waiting for her.

"May I?" Maura asked coyly, batting her eyelashes as she allowed her fingers to dance around Jane's inner thighs.

"You certainly may," Jane breathed, trying to keep her eyes open to maintain her eye contact with Maura but failing when she felt the blonde slowly slide a single finger inside of her. After a few strokes Jane forced her eyes open, only to have them flutter closed as Maura pushed a second finger into her.

"You are so beautiful," Maura said, honesty filling her voice. "So beautiful and all mine," she added as she continued her leisurely pace sliding in and out of Jane's warmth.

"Maura," Jane sighed, sending shockwaves right to Maura's own clit as she heard Jane moan her name. "More," she asked. "I need more."

Maura smiled at the way Jane was already on her way to begging for more after only a few minutes. The blonde continued her relaxed pace, slowly adding a third finger to the others, letting out a sigh as she felt the tightness around her fingers. Maintaining her pace, she began to curl her fingers upwards as she pulled out, a cocky grin on her face as Jane let out a low moan as she did so.

"What's the magic word?" Maura whispered in Jane's ear, taking the lobe between her teeth and biting it softly.

"Oh, God," Jane gasped as she felt Maura's thumb brush her sensitive clit as Maura curled her fingers upwards.

"That's not it," Maura smiled as she stopped all movement expect for her kisses down Jane's neck.

"Please," Jane begged, feeling as though she was going to explode if she didn't achieve release soon. Never had she felt this aroused and certainly none of her previous partners had her begging for more after less than 10 minutes. "Please give more."

Maura smiled and began to piston her fingers in and out of Jane quickly, placing her lips over Jane's to capture the moan that the detective couldn't hold in. The only sounds in the room were wet and breathy as Jane's wetness nearly dripped from her and her breathing became labored.

A nanosecond before it happened, Maura felt Jane's inner walls clench around her fingers before Jane cried out Maura's name. Jane's hips lifted off the bed of their own accord and, since Maura was still poised above Jane, the heel of Maura's hand that was still inside Jane brushed Maura's clit and the blonde realized just how close she was to her own orgasm.

Despite being close to her own release, Maura continued to move her fingers in and out of Jane, slowing her fingers down to ease Jane down from her climax. The brunette couldn't help but shudder as last jolts of pleasure shot through her under her body went limp.

"I think I've died and gone to Heaven," Jane managed to say, groaning softly as Maura pulled her fingers from Jane. When Jane was able to open her eyes, she was greeted with the sight of Maura bringing wet fingers to her mouth and sucking them, sighing in delight as she did so. "Yep," Jane confirmed as she watched Maura taste Jane's juice. "I've died. You better call it," she said as she turned to face the alarm clock. "Time of death is 1:07pm and cause of death is Maura Isles."

"I'd feel like a horrible doctor if I didn't try to revive you," Maura smiled as she pressed her lips to Jane's, sliding her tongue into Jane's mouth. Jane groaned as she tasted the tart flavor of her arousal on Maura's tongue and felt a surge of energy flow through her body. She flipped the pair over so Maura was on her back and Jane was the one on top.

"You've revived me," Jane grinned as she bent her neck down and took one of Maura's nipples into her mouth, eagerly swirling her tongue around it. She catalogued every movement and the corresponding sound it caused Maura to make into her mind, eager to find out every weak spot the doctor had.

After paying equal attention to the other nipple, Jane looked up to Maura and winked before placing kisses down the doctor's stomach until she reached a bare yet glistening apex. Like Maura, Jane had been nervous that she would need guidance to make love to a woman but when she ran her tongue from the base of Maura's slit up to her clit and Maura's hands immediately tangled in Jane's hair, Jane's self-doubt flew from her mind.

Maura couldn't stop herself from threading her fingers through Jane's hair and holding her girlfriend to her body, desperate for release. She forced herself to keep her eyes open and, with the help of the pillow her head rested on, angle her gaze down her body to watch Jane eagerly lick, suck, and occasionally nibble at her most sensitive area.

"Inside," Maura gasped as she felt Jane's mouth attach itself to her clit and suck gently. "Please, Jane. I need you inside me," she managed to say in between gasps.

Jane looked up from her position between Maura's legs, never stopping her sucking. When Maura's gazed latched onto hers, she swiftly entered the blonde with two fingers and mimicked the actions Maura had done to Jane—rapid stokes while curling upwards as she pulled them out. And that was all it took.

Maura's entire body tensed up momentarily before her thighs began to shake and Jane's name was cried out from somewhere deep in Maura's throat. Jane continued to stroke Maura through her orgasm until Maura reached down to swat Jane's hand away, gasping that it was too much to handle.

Jane quickly scrambled up to encircle Maura in a fierce embrace, kissing her neck and shoulder gently as Maura caught her breath.

"Give me 5 minutes," Maura gasped as she attempted to catch her breath. "And then we can celebrate with round two."

* * *

**Yay! Maura can see again!**

**I honestly wasn't sure if she was going to until I wrote this chapter. I planned from the beginning for her to get it back but then I got angry and was like "If my father didn't get his eyesight back, why should this fictional character get her eyesight back? Answer me that, universe." But, alas, I'm a sucker for happy endings.**

**Sorry if the smut isn't all that great. Hah. I've got an epilogue planned out for this story which I will start typing tomorrow but that will probably be it. But if you have story ideas you'd like to see, please PM me with them! I'd love to keep writing for this fandom!**

**Also, the song they dance to is Sad Song by We The Kings featuring Elena Coats. The title is Sad Song but it's actually one of the sweetest love songs I've ever heard. Give it a listen.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Alright, folks! Here it is—the epilogue to Blind! Thank you all for the incredible support you've given me and this story!**

* * *

"Ya know, I feel I did this whole thing backwards," Jane said as she and Maura sat across from each other on a picnic blanket, each sitting cross legged with their knees touching. The spring breeze was soft and both women basked in the warmth of the evening sun. Jane wore dark jeans and a cream colored sleeveless blouse while Maura wore a red and cream colored sundress with a gentle floral print.

"Why do you say that?" Maura asked as she handed Jane a fork to enjoy their slice of chocolate cake with.

"Well, a year ago I kissed you, then asked you to be my girlfriend, then took you out on a date. I feel like most normal couples don't do things in that order," the detective laughed.

"Are we a normal couple, though?" Maura teased.

"You make a very good point there," Jane shrugged as she and Maura ate the dessert they'd purchased to finish off their one year anniversary picnic celebration.

The two women finished the slice of cake quickly, eager to get home to their bed for a night of anniversary sex. Though they had been together a year, their sex life had shown no signs of diminishing and for that both women were grateful.

"Would you like to exchange presents now or at home?" Maura asked softly, eager to share her present with Jane.

"Here," Jane said with certainty. "And you're giving me mine first."

Maura laughed at the childish grin Jane gave her as twisted her torso to reach into the purse behind her. She pulled out a small box with a bow on top and handed it to Jane, suddenly self-conscious of her home made gift.

"I made it myself," Maura said quickly as Jane slid her fingers beneath the tape she had used to seal the top of the box to the bottom. "I know you said you didn't want an extravagant present so I thought something homemade might be fitting…" she trailed off as Jane pulled a deck of cards from the box, each card hole punched in the upper left corner and attached to a key ring.

"52 Reasons I Love You," Jane read Maura's elegant script that she had written on the first card. Flipping through the deck, Jane saw that Maura had written something on each of the cards in her own handwriting, with the occasional wallet sized photo glued to a card. "Maura…" Jane trailed off, looking up to her girlfriend who was nervously fiddling with her necklace.

"Do you like it?" Maura asked nervously.

"I love it!" Jane smiled as she leaned forward to kiss Maura with as much love as she could muster. "It's absolutely perfect," Jane whispered when she pulled away from Maura, their lips still only an inch apart.

Jane flipped through the deck of cards for a few more moments, smiling as she read the sometimes heartfelt and other times goofy reasons why Maura loved her.

"I guess great minds really do think alike," Jane said as she set the deck of cards down and reached behind her for a thin square package she had wrapped and handed it to Maura. "I also made you your gift."

Maura's eyes lit up as she took the square from Jane. It felt to be the same size as a wall calendar and Maura couldn't help but tear the wrapping paper from the gift, eager to see what it was.

"The Doctor and The Detective," Maura read the front page of what appeared to be a book made of square scrapbook cardstock paper and bound with yarn. "A Love Story," she added as she noticed the subtitle. The words were written using stickers and on the cover Jane had glued a photo of she and Maura that had been taken when they went ice skating the previous winter. Both women were bundled up but laughing as they clung to each other on their skates.

"You should read it," Jane said with a smile. "I had to make, like, 10 trips to the craft store because I had no idea how hard writing a storybook could be."

Laughing, Maura opened the book and began to read what Jane had written. The words had been typed on a computer and printed on plain paper but Jane had cut the paragraphs from the plain paper with scissors that created a border on the paper so, when taped to the colored cardstock, they stood out.

_Once upon a time in a kingdom far, far away a beautiful woman named Maura was born. That same year in a kingdom not so far away, a snarky woman named Jane was also born._ On this page Jane had glued a childhood photo of Maura as well as one from her own infant years.

_The two women were very different. Maura liked science and math and shopping while Jane liked sports and recess and fighting on the playground. _The photos on this page were of Maura standing in front of her middle school science fair project and Jane holding a trophy after winning a little league softball tournament.

_Eventually, the beautiful Maura became Doctor Maura and the snarky woman became Detective Jane. _Maura smiled as she saw her graduation photo from medical school glued next to Jane's academy graduation photo.

_Doctor Maura and Detective Jane found themselves working together to keep the Kingdom of Boston safe from evil. At first they were just co-workers…_ The photo on this page was a group shot of Frankie, Vince, Korsak, Jane, and Maura. It was taken early in their time working together and the two women were on opposite ends of the group.

_But they eventually became the best of friends._ The next page made Maura laugh as she saw a photo of she and Jane hugging after completing their marathon, complete in P.U.K.E outfits, laughter on their faces after having crossed the finish line held up by Angela and Frank.

_Doctor Maura helped remind Detective Jane to eat her leafy greens and Detective Jane helped remind Doctor Maura that sometimes a burger and beer are the best way to end a long week._ A photo of the two women sitting next to each other at the Dirty Robber was glued to this page, both women holding a burger in their hands after Jane coerced Maura into ordering one. Jane was beaming with pride while Maura looked slightly nervous for her health.

_It wasn't until a horrible accident left Doctor Maura without her sight that she and Detective Jane realized that maybe they could be more than best friends._ Maura laughed as she saw the photo of her and Jane on her bed, both of their eyes covered with gauze patches.

_Soon Detective Jane took Doctor Maura out on a proper date and told Maura those three magical words._ The photo Angela had taken of the two women on their first date as they kissed was stuck to this page and Maura felt her eyes grow misty as this was the first time she'd seen that photo.

_After their first date, Doctor Maura and Detective Jane were inseparable. They promised each other to always make time for date night and they always had fun._ This page had several smaller photos of Jane and Maura from some of their weekly date nights. One at Fenway with both Jane and Maura in Red Sox hats, one of the women in dresses at an opera Maura had wanted to go to, one of them with flushed faces after a wine tasting event where they'd maybe gone a bit overboard with the wine.

_They even traveled to the Kingdom of Paris to spend time with Doctor Maura's parents._ Maura smiled as she saw the photo Constance had taken of Jane and Maura with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

_But the Kingdom of Boston is where Doctor Maura and Detective Jane felt happiest. They fought bad guys by day and snuggled each other by night._ The photo Maura saw on this page was one Frankie had promised he had deleted. Maura and Jane were spooning on Maura's couch after falling asleep and Frankie had snapped the photo for blackmailing purposes.

_Detective Jane loved everything about Doctor Maura. She loved her big brain and her strong heart. She loved her pretty eyes and the freckle behind her right ear. She loved her compassion and her dedication. _The photo on this page was taken on New Year's Day just as the clock struck midnight and Jane had dipped Maura low to the ground as they kissed to celebrate a new year.

_One of the things Detective Jane loved most about Doctor Maura was that she could ask Doctor Maura any question and would get an answer_. There were no photos on this page. Instead , Jane had drawn little thought bubbles with random questions written in her favorite color of purple and Maura's responses written in blue. _"How many bones are in the human body?" "Can we name your next tortoise Turtle?" "Do you love me?" "What's the difference between Caduceus and Rod of Asclepius?" "Why don't pickles count as a serving of greens?"_

_But there was one question that Detective Jane really wanted to know Doctor Maura's answer to. It was a question that Detective Jane knew would change her and Doctor Maura's life forever. _Jane had drawn a huge question mark on this page and Maura frowned when she turned the page and saw nothing but a blank page.

"Jane?" she said as she flipped through the remaining two pages and saw nothing on them. "I think you've forgotten a page," she laughed. "Did you…" Maura trailed off when she looked up from the book and saw that Jane had moved to kneel on one of her knees.

"Do you wanna know the question that Detective Jane really wants to ask Doctor Maura?" Jane said, smiling as she saw Maura's eyes widen.

Maura found herself unable to speak thanks to the lump forming in her throat so she simply nodded her head yes.

"She'd really like to know if Doctor Maura would make Detective Jane the luckiest person in the whole kingdom by marrying her," Jane said as she pulled a crimson box from her pocket and popped it open, revealing an elegant diamond ring. "Will you marry me, Maura?" Jane asked, never breaking eye contact with Maura.

Maura nodded her head rapidly, still unable to speak as she processed what had just happened.

"Could you maybe make if official by saying yes out loud?" Jane smiled as she watched Maura excitedly nod her head.

"Yes!" Maura said, quickly moving her body forward to take Jane's face between her hands and kiss her deeply. "Yes, yes, yes," Maura said in between kisses to the detective.

"Well that's a relief!" Jane laughed as she took Maura's left hand from her cheek and slid the diamond ring onto her ring finger. "Perfect fit," she murmured as she kissed the part of Maura's finger just above the ring.

"Oh, my gosh. Jane!" Maura gasped as she finally got a good look at the ring. "This is absolutely stunning," she said as she wiped a tear from her eye with her free hand and continued to look at the ring that felt so incredibly natural on her hand.

"Kinda like you," Jane smiled as she watched Maura's face glow.

"Come here," Maura said, grabbing Jane's hand and tugging her towards the blonde. Maura slowly leaned back until she was lying on the blanket and Jane was above her, their tongues battling each other.

"Get a room!" someone called out and Maura pulled away from Jane quickly, gasping in surprise as she saw Frankie walking towards them with a camera in his hand.

"What…" Maura trailed off, looking up to Jane.

"Remember you scolding me for sending a text about 20 minutes ago?" Jane said with a smile as she stood up and helped Maura do the same. "It was me texting Frankie to get here and hide in the bush over there so he could be our unofficial photographer. I figured we could use the blank pages at the end of the story book to put the photo of me proposing and then maybe one of the wedding."

"You've been a part of the Rizzoli clan for years but I guess this is when I should officially welcome you to it," Frankie said as he reached the edge of the blanket where Jane and Maura were now standing.

"Thank you," Maura smiled as she held her arms open and gave Frankie a hug. Frankie then pulled Jane into a hug, clapping her on the back with a grin.

"Thanks for letting me be a part of the plan," Frankie said as he turned his camera on to show the women the photos he had taken. There were quite a few, several taken in quick succession showing Jane moving from her cross legged position to the kneeling position, the moment Maura looked up and her eyes widened, the look on their faces when Jane opened the box to reveal the ring, and the way Maura grasped Jane's face to kiss her before allowing the ring to be slipped on her finger.

"Oh my goodness," Maura breathed as she saw the photographs. "These are incredible."

"When I asked Janie if I could help her with the proposal and she told me I would be hiding in the freakin' bushes, I wasn't too sure she hadn't lost her mind. But I think I got some okay shots."

"They're great, Frankie," Jane said as she wrapped an arm around Maura's waist and pulled her close.

"How long as she been planning this?" Maura asked Frankie, curiosity making it unable for her to not ask.

"Well, she mentioned to me on the 4th of July last year that she'd one day want to marry you but I think she got really serious about it around Christmas time," Frankie admitted.

Jane blushed when Frankie told Maura that after only two months of officially being a couple she had mentioned marriage but when Maura turned to her, her eyes sparkling, her embarrassment left.

"I love you," Maura smiled as she kissed Jane softly.

"Love you, too, Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles," Jane grinned against Maura's lips.

"Gross," Frankie laughed as he made vomiting noises. Jane simply reached her hand out to shove him, never breaking the kiss with her fiancée.

"We should head home," Jane smiled as she pulled away and grasped Maura's hand in her own. She quickly packed the blanket and dishes back into the picnic basket they had brought and began to walk back to she and Maura's house with Frankie.

They made it back to their house within ten minutes and, with a sly nod from Frankie, Jane opened the door and let Maura walk in first, allowing her to be the one who heard the shouts of 'Congratulations!' coming from the crowd that had gathering in their living room.

Maura spun to face Jane who had a guilty smile on her face.

"I hope this is okay," Jane said as she nodded towards the decorations that her friends and family had put in their home and the crowd. Angela, Frankie, Tommy, Korsak, Frost, Susie, and Cavanaugh all were holding glasses of champagne and cheering for the couple.

"This is perfect," Maura said as she once again felt tears well in her eyes.

"Let me see your ring, Maura," Angela gushed as she was the first to break away from the crowd and come to the couple, grasping Maura's hand and examining the ring her daughter had purchased for her.

"It is lovely, Janie!" Angela said as she kissed her daughter on the cheek before wrapping her arms around Maura in a tight embrace.

The two women made the round throughout the living room, Maura finding no problem in describing the storybook Jane had created for them to every one of her friends. Jane stood by proudly, keeping an arm wrapped around Maura's waist the entire time.

The doorbell sounded and Maura turned to face Jane, a questioning look on her face.

"Could you maybe get the door?" Jane asked naturally.

"Of course," Maura smiled as she felt Jane release her grip on Maura's waist. Maura felt as though she was floating as she walked to the front door, happiness radiating from her every pore. She had a smile on her face as she opened the door and her smile grew when she saw who was on the other side of the threshold.

"Maura, darling," her mother smiled when Maura opened the door.

"Mother," Maura breathed, stepping aside to let her mother in. "Father," she added as she watched her father walk through the door with a large cake in his hands.

"I apologize for our tardiness," Constance smiled as she entered the house. "We picked up the cake from the bakery but your father then remembered how you used to love Neapolitan ice cream as a child so he insisted we stop at the store to pick some up."

Maura's father set the cake and grocery bag with ice cream on the counter before coming to stand next to Constance, smiling down as his newly engaged daughter.

"You are simply glowing," her father said as he noticed the smile on his daughter's face. "Reminds me of the day I asked your mother to marry me," he said.

Hearing that, Maura couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms around her father for a hug before giving one to her mother as well. Both of her parents surprised her by returning the hug with a tight squeeze.

Jane suddenly appeared holding two glasses of champagne, offering them to her future in-laws with a smile.

"My husband and I are so thankful that you included us in your plans to propose to our daughter," Constance told Jane with a soft smile.

"I'm so thankful that I had your blessing to propose," Jane replied as she once again wrapped an arm around Maura's waist. "Your help with getting the childhood photos of Maura was great. I think she loved the book."

"Oh, where is the book?" Maura asked excitedly. "I'd love to share it with my parents."

"I put the basket in the hallway closet," Jane replied as she nodded in the direction of the basket she had placed her creation in.

Maura quickly walked to the closet and pulled the book out, encouraging her parents to join her on the couch to show them the book. Jane watched with a smile as she began to talk to her parents with ease, something Jane knew Maura had wanted to be able to do for years.

Angela walked up next to Jane, smiling at the loving gaze Jane kept focused on Maura.

"You did good, Janie," Angela said sincerely as she nudged Jane's shoulder softly.

"Thanks, ma," Jane smiled as she sipped her champagne contentedly. "It sucks that it took Maura losing her vision for us to get together but looking back I don't think I'd change a thing. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"The way that Maura looks at you is like you're the best thing that's ever happened to her, too," Angela responded.

"Enough with the mushy gushy feelings," Jane laughed as she finished off her champagne and turned to the cake Maura's father had carried in. "Who wants cake?" she called, immediately capturing the attention of everyone in the house. The group made their way to the kitchen where Jane held a knife, poise to cut into the cake.

Maura snuck behind Jane and placed her hand over Jane's on the handle of the knife.

"Can I help?" she whispered in Jane's ear, laughing when Jane shivered slightly and only nodded her head.

The two women picked up the knife and cut the cake into squares, laughing as they attempted to cut with Jane's dominant hand covered by Maura's less dominant hand. They finally cut enough pieces for the group and passed them out, deciding to share a piece. Maura cut their shared piece in half and, with the entire group watching them, turned to Jane.

"Maybe we should practice feeding each other cake so we're prepared on the big day," Maura smiled as she picked up the small piece of cake from their place.

"Ya think?" Jane replied, arching an eyebrow as she noticed the mischievous glint in Maura's eyes.

"Yep," Maura replied as she nudged Jane with the paper plate, smiling when Jane picked up the other half of the slice.

Jane lifted her half of the piece up, preparing to offer it to Maura while Maura mirrored her actions. She kept her eyes locked with Maura's which left her vulnerable to attack.

Maura quickly lifted her slice of cake and pressed it to Jane's face, laughing as the detective gasped in surprise at having the red velvet cake smeared on her face.

The entire room burst into laughter, even Constance unable to hide her chuckle at her daughter's actions. Jane was momentarily stunned until she regained use of her motor functions and raised her own piece of cake.

"Jane," Maura attempted to warn in between giggles as her fiancée still had cake covering her face. "This dress is custom," she tried to bargain as she took a step back. "If you stain it I will not be pleased," she said in between laughs.

"I'll pay for dry cleaning," Jane shrugged as she grabbed Maura playfully around the waist and pressed the cake to her face, laughing at the squeal Maura released.

The two women laughed as they embraced each other, not noticing the photos being taken of them or the way everyone in the room watched them.

"I love you," Jane smiled as she kissed Maura's frosting covered cheek.

"I love you, too."

* * *

**Well, that's all folks! 12 chapters of fluffy, angsty, and pretty cute Rizzles goodness.**

**I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter or the overall story. How I can improve, other plotlines you'd like to see written, or anything else!**

**Thanks for coming along for the ride!**


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